Black Forest Cake with Griottines

Griottines are a new type of premium Morello cherry steeped in liqueur. They are a real gourmet treat!

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 190°C (gas mark 6 ½). Grease and flour three same layer-cake pans of 18 cm Ø. Break eggs in a terrine. Add sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat using an electric mixer until it becomes foamy and grows threefold. Sift flour and cocoa together. Combine by tablespoonful to the dough. Melt butter and blend in mixture. Distribute dough into moulds. Spread evenly over the top and set in oven for 15 min. Check baking by sticking a needle into the centre of the cakes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in moulds before turning them over onto a grid. Put single cream in a terrine and refrigerate together with mixer whisks.
   
   Drain Griottines keeping juice aside. Prepare the cream: take single cream out of refrigerator. Add icing sugar, beat to Chantilly. Pour Kirsch in trickle. Set again in refrigerator.
   
   Prepare mini chocolate curls: scrape edge of chocolate bar over a plate, with a good peeler knife. Be quick to prevent chocolate from melting. Keep chips refrigerated.
   
   Make holes randomly in the cake using a fork. Soak them by sprinkling with Griottines juice. Place the first cake in the centre of a dish. Spread over ¼ of Chantilly. Garnish with half of Griottines. Set second cake. Garnish in the same way. Carefully set the third cake over.
   
   Spread remaining Chantilly with a spatula over the top and edges of cake. Scatter chocolate chips over the whole cake, by lightly driving them into the cream. Serve chilled.
   
   Griottines are available on line at www.griottines.co.uk