Classic Black Forest Gateaux
Recipe by Norbert Neylon
A WORD FROM THE CHEF
This week’s recipe is my take on a classic, Black Forest. It’s a festive favourite. Most of the recipe can be prepared in advance and then assembled when ready to serve. We use a brownie mix instead of sponge to give it that texture and luscious taste.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 6)
For the brownie
150g good quality chocolate
150g butter
Two large eggs
200g brown sugar
90g plain flour
100g finely chopped chocolate
For the cherry gel
200g of cherry puree
2g of agar agar
For the garnish
125g of cherries
100g of chocolate
For the Cream filling
250g cream
75g icing sugar
Zest of 1/2 an orange
METHOD
Melt the chocolate and butter, cream the eggs and sugar.
Then when the chocolate mix has cooled gently fold in the sugar and egg mixture. Next fold in the flour and finally add the chopped chocolate and fold in.
Pour the mixture into a baking tray lined with baking parchment
Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes. Allow to cool
In the meantime make the cherry gel. Add the cherry purée and agar agar together and bring to the boil. Leave to set in the fridge and, once set, blend to a smooth gel.
To garnish the gateaux, we use amarena cherries, they are soaked in Kirsh a cherry liqueur and are bursting with flavour. They add a really nice boozy flavour to the Black Forest. If you can’t get them, use good quality cherries and soak them in a little Kirsh.
To make chocolate twigs to garnish the top of the Black Forest, melt your 100g of chocolate and place it in a piping bag with a very small nozzle.
Fill a container with cold water and lots of ice. Pipe the chocolate into the ice mixture in a twig-like design. The chocolate will set as soon as it hits the ice mixture leaving you with twig like chocolate garnish. Once set, remove from the ice and store in the fridge.
To make the cream filling, whip the cream and sugar and fold in the orange zest
Assembly
Cut the brownie in half lengthways, as shown in photograph.
Pipe on the cream mixture, place a few cherries on top. Place the other half of the brownie on top and decorate with cherry gel, cherries a lit of the cream mixture and chocolate twigs. Enjoy!
ABOUT THE CHEF
Norbert Neylon is the chef proprietor of The Oak Room Restaurant in Cavan since 2001.
The Oak Room moved to a new purpose-built building in May of 2017 on Bridge Street in Cavan Town.
Norbert is currently the chairman of Created in Cavan, a network of food producers, farmers, cafés, restaurants and hotels in the Cavan region.
He is passionate about promoting local food and cooking with local ingredients.
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