 This luscious gateau filled with black cherries, Kirsch and cream is a lot easier to make than you think
INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
9oz/250g. caster sugar
9oz/250g. plain flour
1½/oz./37½g. cocoa
powder
2tsp/10ml baking powder
I pint/600ml double cream
4tbsp/60ml Kirsch
1 lb/450g.canned black
cherries, pitted and well
drained
4oz/125g plain chocolate,
caraque or grated
METHOD
Preheat the oven to Mark 5/375 F/190C:
Grease
and line base of tin. Place eggs and sugar in a bowl over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water
 Whisk with electric beater until mixture is pale
and thick and just holds the trail of the whisk (7-10 mins)
Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk for a further 2 minutes while it cools
To help give the sponge
a light texture, sift the
flour, cocoa powder and
baking powder onto a plate or bowl
Carefully  and gradually fold flour into egg mixture, cutting through with a metal spoon or large spatula
until evenly mixed, use a folding and cutting movement and make sure you get to the bottom of the bowl to mix in all the flour
gently stir in 7-8 tbsp/105-120 ml hot water to soften the mixture slightly and give a lighter result
spoon the mixture gently into the prepared cake tin and flatten the top, bake for 35-40mins or until just firm to the touch
 stand for 5-10 mins. then turn onto a plate carefully remove the paper
turn out onto  a wire rack and leave until completely cold, when the cake is cold (don't try brfore or the sponge will crumble)
split carefully into 3 layers, whip cream until slightly stiff and set some aside for piping
 sprinkle sponge layers with Kirsch, reserve 8-10 cherries for decoration
place bottom sponge on a serving plate  spread with one quarter of the cream and half of the cherries
place the middle  layer of sponge on top and spread with the second quarter of cream and the remaining cherries
place the third layer of sponge on top of the cream  cover the sponge with more cream and smooth out with a palette knife
spread remaining cream neatly round sides with a palette knife
pipe reserved  cream around top edge of cake
press small crumbled pieces of caraque (see bottom)round sides
Decorate top with cherries and larger pieces of caraque. Chill until required
 Melt 4oz/125g of dark coating chocolate and spread thinly and evenly on a cold surface or foil
Leave until cold but don't chill, using a large knife and with a sawing action hold the knife flat against the chocolate and scrape or push long curls of chocolate away from you
Keep going until you have a good thick curl, a stubbier thicker version can be made very easily with an open neatly cut can
Holding italmost upright pullthe far side rim of the can across the chocolate
Store as before in a cool place but do not chill the caraque
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Cake Recipes