Black Forrest Gâteau

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For the SPONGE

225g all purpose flour

350g caster sugar

85g cocoa powder

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp baking soda

2 eggs

250ml milk

125m vegetable oil

2 tbsp boiling water

For the jam

850g frozen pitted dark cherries

300g caster sugar

juice from 1 lemon

4 tbsp cornstarch

for the ganache

200g dark chocolate (chopped)

200ml heavy cream

for stabilized cream

500 g mascarpone cheese

6-8 tablespoons confectioners sugar

⅔ cup + 3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

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for the sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 180C

2. Prepare three 6in cake tins with baking spray & parchment paper

3. In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda & baking powder)

4. In a large bowl, using an handheld mixer (or a whisk), mix the wet ingredients (eggs, milk & vegetable oil)

5. Pour the dry into the wet & mix until just combined. Add the boiling water & beat again until smooth.

6. Divide the batter equally between the tins & bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in their tin, then turn them out to cool completely on a wire rack.

8. When the cakes are fully cooled, level them & set aside.

for the jam

1. Place cherries, sugar & lemon juice into a in a saucepan over medium/low heat until sugar dissolves.

2. Take off the heat & strain the cherries, reserving their liquid.

3. Measure 4 tablespoons of the liquid, place into a bowl & mix in the cornflour

4. In a mug or a mason jar - set aside another 4-5 tablespoons of the liquid for brushing over the cakes

5. Add the cherries back to the sauce pan & pour the rest of the strained liquid back into the saucepan

6. Stir the cornflour slurry into the saucepan with the cherries, bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thick.

7. Pour the jam into a shallow bowl and transfer to the fridge to cool completely.

for stabilized cream

1. In a chilled bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone, cream, vanilla & whip until it begins to thicken.

2. Add the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, until desired sweetness level is achieved.

for the ganache

1. Place the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl- set aside

2. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it begins to bubble slightly - but before it boils & scalds

3. Once the cream is heated- pour it over the chocolate and let stand for 1-2 minutes

4. Stir the chocolate and cream until combined.

5. Set aside to cool - we want this to be THICK so it will take a while (*you could place it in the fridge - but if you do, make sure to stir it every 5 minutes)

assembly

1. On a cake stand (or whatever you’re serving it on) place down the first and ugliest cake layer.

2. Brush it with the reserved cherry juice, then spread a thick layer of mascarpone cream.

3. Add some of the cherries on top, gently pushing them into the cream until they form a full layer.

4. Gently place the second (and second ugliest) cake layer on top & repeat the process.

5. Add the last, and prettiest cake layer to the top - spread a thick layer of ganache & pile high with fresh fruit

6. Dust with icing sugar & serve! (if you find it too soft - let it set up in the fridge for a few minutes before cutting)

notes

while this sponge is traditional my taste testers commented on it’s lack of depth compared to other chocolate cakes I’ve made - so if you’re looking for something a bit richer - I’d try it with a this recipe

I most certainly made too many cherries as my cake was only 6in, it would make enough for an 8in cake

If you’re serving it immediately or if you’re opting for less/thinner cake layers you could use a whipped cream, but otherwise I think a stabilized cream (with mascarpone or cream cheese) would hold up better.

THIS CAKE DOES NOT KEEP WELL. Like at alllllll. Anything with cream, fruit (fresh or frozen) should be eaten same day -8 hours after & what was left of this cake had slid to mush.

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INSPIRED BY THIS RECIPE & THIS RECIPE

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Victoria Sponge

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For the spongE

4 large eggs

225g caster sugar

225g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

225g unsalted butter

For the jam

200g raspberries

250g/9oz jam sugar

For the buttercream

100g unsalted butter - room temp

200g confectioners sugar (sifted)

2 tbs milk 

EQUIPMENT

two 8 inch sandwich tins 

parchment paper rounds

electric mixer

piping bags

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for the sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 180C or 356F

2. Prepare two 8 inch sandwich tins with baking spray (or butter) & line with parchment paper

3. In a large bowl with a an electric mixer, cream the butter & sugar together.

4. Once well combined, add in the eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing between.

5. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder & salt.

6. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry to the wet in thirds, scraping down the sides between each addition. Being careful not to over mix

7. Mary says something about a soft ‘drooping’ consistency.

8. Divide the batter evenly between the tins & smooth with a spatula.

9. Bake for about 25 minutes, check on them at 20 but not before then! (Says Mary)

10. The cakes are done when they’re golden brown & springy to the touch. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes & then turn out to cool fully on a cooling rack.

for the jam

1. Buy jam

2. Okay fine you want to make your own?

3. Follow the instructions on the back of the pectin.

4. There you go.

for the buttercream

1. In stand mixer, or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer- beat the butter until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the confectioners sugar a few spoonfuls at a time - beating until smooth. (Make sure you taste between additions to reach your desired level of sweetness)

3. Add in 1 tablespoon of the milk, reserving the 2nd for if the buttercream is too thick. Beat until smooth & creamy

4. Fill a piping bag with the buttercream

assembly

1. Pick your favorite child (sponge) & your least favorite.

2. Place the uglier one top down on the cake stand.

3. Spread with a layer of jam, then pipe a layer of buttercream on top of the jam.

4. Place the other sponge with the pretty side up, dust with powdered sugar & finish with raspberries & a sprig of mint. Serve!

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 RECIPE BY Marry Berry

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

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For the cake

200ml boiling water

100g butter, room temp

175g light brown sugar

2 eggs

225g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp treacle

200 grams chopped dates

double cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

60 g walnuts, roughly chopped

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For the sauce

100g butter

125g brown sugar

1 tbsp treacle

300ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla

60g walnuts, roughly chopped

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equipment

oven safe baking dish

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INSTRUCTIONS

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cake

1. Preheat oven to 356 F

2. Prep a oven proof dish with butter- set aside

3. Place the chopped dates, baking soda & the boiling water into a bowl - set aside for about 10 minutes

4. In a stand mixer or electric whisk, cream the butter and treacle together. Once well mixed, add sugar & beat again.

5. Add the eggs one by one- mixing thoroughly between.

6. Turn the mixer speed down, slowly add flour and baking powder & beat until smooth.

7. Using the back of a fork- smash the dates slightly then pour the dates & the liquid into the batter & mix.

8. Pour batter into the prepared dish & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

9. Immediately after coming out of the oven- poke holes (using a toothpick or a fork) in the cooked sponge

10. Pour about 1/4 of the warm sauce over the sponge, and using an offset spatula or spoon, evenly spread it across until it’s entirely coated with the sauce

11. Set aside for 20-30 minutes, then serve with chopped walnuts, more sauce & ice cream.

sauce

1. In small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with brown sugar & treacle - mix until everything is melted & combined

2. Stir in the cream, turn up the heat to medium/high & when the mixture starts bubbling - take it off the heat & set aside

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adapted from

this recipe & this recipe

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Treacle Tart

Ingredients

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PASTRY

250g all purpose flour

130g unsalted butter
(this makes enough to do a lattice top - so if you don’t do that you’ll have extra dough)

FILLING

400g golden syrup

150g breadcrumbs (Mary says fresh - I didn’t read that part so mine were in a tin lol)

2 lemons, zest & juice (I didn’t use it all)

1 egg beaten with 1 tsb water (egg wash)

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Instructions

1. Start with your pastry dough - in a food processor or by hand, combine the flour and cold butter until a sandlike or “breadcrumb” texture is achieved.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and lightly to knead just until the dough comes together- wrap it in plastic wrap & chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400F and place a rimmed baking sheet into the oven so it heats along with the oven.

4. Prep a loose-bottomed fluted tart pan with butter or baking spray & set aside

5. Roll the pastry out on a floured counter/surface until about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick

6. Gently roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and lay onto the prepared tart tin

7. Prick the bottom with a fork, egg wash the sides & set aside

8. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, gently heat the golden syrup until it thins, but before it boils.

9. Once it’s runny, add breadcrumbs, lemon juice & zest - stir to combine

10. Pour the final mixture into the lined baking tin and smooth it evenly

11. Place the tart on the pre-heated tray in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, and then reduce the temp to 350F and bake for another 25-30 minutes

12. If you find the tart shell is browning faster than the center is setting, you can cover it with tin foil.

13. The tart is done when the pastry is golden-brown & the filling is set & no longer glassy.

14. Remove tart from the oven and set aside to cool & firm up - can be served warm or cold! because it’s breadcrumbs! wtf!

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SLIGHTLY ADAPTED FROM MARY BERRY’S RECIPE

Self Saucing Pudding

INGREDIENTS

2-3 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting

165g dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids

165g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

3 medium eggs

3 medium egg yolks

85g caster sugar

2 tbsp plain flour

6 heaped tsp smooth peanut butter

EQUIPMENT

6 pudding molds

large baking tray

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Prep 6 individual pudding molds with baking spray (or butter) and a thin coating of cocoa powder

3. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together - once melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly

4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip eggs, egg yolks & sugar until thicccq & mousse-y.

5. Using a spatula and gentle figure 8 motions, fold the cooled chocolate into the thicccq eggy sugar mixture.

6. Sift in the flour, and gently fold in until fully incorporated, being careful not to knock out any of the air from the eggs.

7. Spoon the mixture evenly into the molds, filling only about halfway (you’ll have left over)

8. Place about a teaspoon & 1/2 of peanut butter into the center of each mold, then fill with remaining chocolate batter, and smooth.

9. Bake the puddings on the tray for 7-11 minutes - just until they’ve risen and still have a wobble in the middle.

10. Do some black magic witchcraft and turn them out from the molds immediately

11. Dust with cocoa powder & serve

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RECIPE BY PAUL HOLLYWOOD

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Yule Log

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Ingredients

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chocolate sponge

4 large eggs

100g caster sugar

65g self-raising flour (how to make your own)

40g cocoa powder

chocolate ganache

300ml / ½ pint double cream (heavy cream)

300g dark chocolate (I used 60%) - broken into small pieces

cream filling

300ml / ½ pint double cream (heavy cream) - whipped

2-3 tbs caster sugar (to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150g raspberries

To decorate

powdered sugar (to dust)

raspberries

rosemary sprigs

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Instructions

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making the chocolate sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Prepare a 13x9in Swiss roll tin, with baking spray & parchment paper.

3. Starting with the sponge, in a large bowl with an electric whisk, whip the eggs & sugar until pale, frothy & doubled in size. Sift the flour & cocoa powder into the bowl and carefully fold it in. You don’t want to knock any of the air out of the mixture, so use gentle figure 8 motions with your spatula until fully incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly.

5. Bake for about for 8–10 minutes, or until the sponge has risen, bouncy to the touch, and you can see the sides are pulling away from the tin.

6. Place clean dish towel on your counter and dust with powdered sugar. While the sponge is still hot, turn it out onto the dish towel and peel back the parchment paper.

7. Tightly roll the sponge up with the dish towel, and place it seam side down on a wire rack to cool completely (anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours)

making the chocolate ganache

1. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan heat the cream until hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and pour over the bowl of chopped chocolate. Don’t touch it for 2-4 minutes, the residual heat will melt the chocolate. After a few minutes, gently stir to combine & set aside to cool to room temperature.

making the raspberry whipped cream

1. In a chilled bowl, using an electronic mixer, whip together heavy cream, vanilla & sugar until soft peaks form. Finally, very gently beat in raspberries, you want some broken, but you don’t want to make the cream runny.

assembly

1. Unwrap the chilled Swiss roll and remove from the dish towel. Using an offset spatula, spread a generous dollop of cream across the sponge (leaving a 1/2 inch on all sides to account for the cream moving when it gets re-rolled) At this point you could add in whole raspberries, or just tightly re-roll the sponge as is. Us

2. Using an offset spatula, spread a thick layer of ganache evenly all over the Swiss roll. Once all sides are evenly coated, use a fork to gently trace ridges along the ganache, creating a tree bark texture.

3. Dust with icing sugar & garnish with raspberries & sprigs of mint (or rosemary)

slightly adapted from mary berry’s recipe 

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Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

god damn I love a birthday cake

& I ESPECIALLY love a birthday cake when the recipient is not only one of my best friends…but a friend with

FANTASTIC TASTE

Aislinn has become my resident taste tester, brownie eater, buttercream judge, & all around kitchen side kick

so for HER birthday I knew she wouldn’t disappoint me *cough* *cough* Mats with her cake request this year

last year I did a chocolate & salted caramel cake – though I MIGHT have forgotten to let it come to room temp before cutting it and a drunk friend (who will remain nameless) attempted to cut it with a bread knife and let’s just say it didn’t work…

so THIS year not only was I determined to make her dream cake, but one I’d be able to take pictures of…

AKA no drunk people allowed

we started planning & sketching (yes I’m that crazy) out this cake about a month and half before her actual birthday.

yes im crazy i know

she wanted something with chocolate, and because she’s  (gretchen weiners voice) “SUCH a good friend”

she knew I’d want something blog-able and super not basiq – so we came up with this beauty

a crustless cheesecake, sandwiched between 2 chocolate cakes, layered with a seedless raspberry compote, chocolate ganache, and finished with a raspberry swiss meringue buttercream. 

it’s like if the cheesecake factory shopped at whole foods, got a blow out & glowed the fuuuuuq up.

okay enough words –

let’s get to the good shit

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I N G R E D I E N T S

• CHOCOLATE CAKE •

I used the same recipe from the Chocolate Mocha Cake 

*don’t be afraid of the coffee in the cake – it doesn’t make it TASTE like coffee, it just helps enhance the chocolate flavor*

• CHEESECAKE•

8 oz of cream cheese, room temp (get the block package, not whipped or low fat)

1/4 cup & 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg, room temp

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon all purpose flour

• RASPBERRY FILLING•

1 & 1/2 cups of frozen raspberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

• RASPBERRY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM •

12 oz egg whites (about 10 large eggs)

3 cups of granulated sugar

3 lbs (I know) unsalted butter, room temp

1-3 tablespoons of raspberry compote

*for other flavors omit the raspberries & add vanilla, almond extract, booze, or another fruit compote*

• GANACHE •

3oz bitter sweet chocolate, chopped

3 oz heavy cream

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I N S T R U C T I O N S

THE CAKE:

Follow step-by-step directions here

THE CHEESECAKE:

• Pre-heat oven to 325°F & prepare a 6 inch springform pan

• In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy

• Slowly add in sugar, making sure to incorporate fully

• Add in the rest of the wet ingredients – mix to combine

• Finally add in the dry ingredients and pour into prepared pan

• Wrap the bottom of the pan in tinfoil, and place it into a cake pan filled with 1-2 inches of water

• Bake for 35-40 minutes – it’ll be done when the edges have a little color and the middle is still a little jiggly

• Let cool completely & store in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble

THE FILLING:

• In small sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients, and boil until thickened *stir continuously*

• Set aside until cool enough to handle – then strain mixture through a fine sieve, separating the seeds from the filling

THE FROSTING:

• In a heat safe bowl over a double boiler  – whisk together egg whites and sugar until the temp reaches 160°F

• Transfer the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer & whip on high until the bowl has cooled to the touch and the meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks

• Slowly add cubed (softened) butter & whip until light & fluffy

• With the mixer on low, add raspberry compote, a tablespoon at a time until desired color is reached

• Reserve about 1/2 cup of buttercream in a separate bowl & add more raspberry compote, until you achieve a deeper pink

THE GANACHE:

• In a saucepan over medium heat (or in a microwave) slowly heat 3 oz. of heavy whipping cream

• Once hot (but not scalding) – add the chopped chocolate & let sit for 1-2 minute & stir to combine

THE ASSEMBLY:

• On a cake turner or cake stand, place buttercream on the bottom of a cake board

• Place one of the cake layers onto the cake board, and begin layering with buttercream (high sides to prevent spillage), raspberry filling & ganache.

• Gently place the cheesecake on top, making sure not to press too hard, and continue layering with the buttercream, filling, ganache, and the final cake layer.

• Crumb coat & place in fridge for 20ish minutes or until cool to the touch

• Begin the second layer of frosting, smoothing the buttercream until no bubbles or bumps are left – chill again

• With your ganache in a decorating bottle, a piping bag or a spoon – slowly add drips down the sides of the cake, starting from the top. Place in the fridge to set

• In a piping bag fitted with a french tip, pipe swirls along the border of the cake, filling in with smaller swirls in the center

• DAY OF: place washed & dried raspberries on the swirls, and around the border

• Enjoy! then make someone else do the dishes bc ur tired as fuuuuuuuuq

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