Blackforest Gâteaux

Mixture: 20 mins
Cooking : 40-50 mins

Cooling: 30 mins

Standing: 60 mins

Decorating: 30 mins

Setting and Chilling: 1-2hrs

Equipment:

3 Mixing Bowls                                                                       Sieve

Jug/Cup to beat the eggs in                                                      Wooden Spoon

Fork                                                                                     1 Teaspoon

2 Round Caketins                                                                    Cooling Rack

Icing Syringe                                                                         Knife

Grater                                                                                  Pastry Brush
String                                                                                   Sellotape
Acetate or thin see-through plastic wrapping (similar to what flowers come in)

Mixture:

• 12oz caster sugar
• 10oz self raising flour 
• 12oz stork butter
• 6 eggs 
• 2oz cocoa powder

Topping and Decorating:

• 1 can of black cherry pie filling    
• 1 can of black cherries (Has to be a can as the juice is required)
• 1 pot of fresh double cream
• 2 large bars of dark chocolate    
• Edible glitter    

Mixture

1) Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees.
2) Sift the flour and cocoa into a smaller bowl using the sieve.

3) Beat eggs with the fork in the jug or cup.

4) Cream together the butter and sugar with wooden spoon in a large mixing bowl until fluffy and light . 

5) Alternating between flour and egg add a bit at a time to the butter and sugar and mix well. 

6)(If you want the cake to really rise add half a teaspoon of baking powder to the mix)

7) Split between two cake tins (equally) and pat down with the back of the spoon.

8) Put in the oven for approximately 40-50 mins.

Cooling
9) Take out of oven and leave to stand in the tins for 10 mins.
10) Remove from the tins level off with a sharp knife if required and put on a cooling rack to cool for a further 20 mins.  


Preparation
11) Transfer cakes to plates and make small holes with a fork. Drizzle the juice from the tin of cherries using a teaspoon into the holes.
12) Leave the cake for an hour to absorb the juice.
13) Whip the double cream until peaks form.
14) Apply a thin layer of the pie filling followed by a moderate layer of the cherry pie filling to the first layer of cake and sandwich second layer on top. 


Decorating
15) Then apply the rest of the pie filling in a rough circle on top of the second layer.
16) Put cream in an icing syringe or a similar instrument with the large star nozzle. And apply squirts/stars of cream around the edge of the pie filling.
17) Grate half of one of the bars of chocolate and sprinkle on top.


Chocolate collar
18) Measure the distance around the edge of the cake using a piece of string.
19) Cut the acetate to the length of the string PLUS around an inch on one end. Cut the height to around the height of the cake plus an inch.
20) Lay the acetate/plastic flat on the surface, if curling try to secure ( I advise using blu-tack to stick it temporarily to the work surface at the edges)
21) Melt the rest of the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl in the microwave, putting it in for 10/20 seconds at a time then stirring and checking to ensure it doesn't burn.
22) Apply the chocolate quite thickly to the acetate using a pastry brush LEAVING AN INCH AT ONE END but spreading right to the edges on the other and one of the long sides. (The chocolate could be spread in a wave or uneven pattern along the top edge for effect. )
24) Once the chocolate no longer appears runny but has not set (Around 5 -10 minutes) wrap the collar around the cake with the flat edge touching the surface. Overlap the edge with no chocolate on over the other acetate and secure with a bit of sellotape.
25) Leave to chill for 1-2 hours 
26) Sprinkle with edible glitter and voila :D (I added a ribbon for effect):

Finished :D Black Forest Gâteaux

Cake 2

Cake without collar