Brilliant festive bakes
Serve up a showstopper this Xmas as The Great British Bake Off recipes are bound to impress
Black Forest Slice
A riff on a Black Forest gâteau, this is an everyday version of the classic celebration cake. Serves 16 175g plain flour 25g cocoa powder 1tsp espresso powder 1tsp baking powder 175g unsalted butter 200g light brown, soft sugar 1tsp vanilla extract 3 large eggs 200g cherries, pitted and quartered 1 quantity of crème Chantilly 25g 70% dark chocolate 16 cherries in kirsch, drained TO MAKE THE CRÈME CHANTILLY Whipped, sweetened cream flavoured with vanilla. Crème Chantilly is for spooning and piping. Chill the bowl and whisk, as well as the cream, before you begin, for maximum volume. Makes about 400g 300ml double cream 50g icing sugar 1tsp vanilla bean paste
YOU WILL NEED
• A chilled mixing bowl • A chilled balloon whisk 1
Pour the cream into the bowl and add the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste.
Whisk then whip the cream until it holds a soft peak. Use immediately, or cover and chill for up to 1 hour.
FOR THE DECORATIONS
75g 54% dark chocolate 1g cocoa butter powder
FOR THE SYRUP
2tbsp caster sugar 2tbsp kirsch
YOU WILL NEED
25cm square cake tin, greased, then base-lined with baking paper Cooking thermometer Small piping bag fitted with a No.2 writing nozzle Baking sheet lined with a sheet of acetate or baking paper Medium piping fitted with a large star nozzle
Heat the oven to 200°C/ 180° fan/gas mark 6. Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso and baking powder into a bowl, and set aside.
Put the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with the beater attachment. Cream together until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla extract, and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. With the mixer on the slowest speed, add the
flour mixture, then add the cherries.
4 Scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and level. Bake for 20 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out on a wire rack to cool.
5 For the decorations, first temper the chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until it reaches 45°C/113°F on a cooking thermometer.
6 Remove from the heat and cool to 34°C/93°F, then add the cocoa butter powder, stirring until the chocolate reaches 31°C/88°F.
7 Pour the tempered chocolate into the piping bag, fitted with the writing nozzle, and pip 16 decorative shapes on the baking paper. Leave for 30 mins to set.
8 For the syrup, pour kirsch and sugar into a small pan and heat gently over a low hear, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Pierce the cooled cake all over with a cocktail stick and brush on the kirsch syrup over the cake.
9 Place ⅓ of the crème Chantilly into the piping bag fitted with the star nozzle and set aside.
10 Turn the cake topdownwards and spread the remaining Chantilly. Finely grate the dark chocolate evenly over the cream, then cut the cake into 16 squares.
11 Pipe a cream swirl in the middle of each square. Top with a kirsch-soaked cherry and chocolate decoration.