Gateau Africaine Recipes

BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of 3 x 20cm cake tins. Boil the kettle. Put the butter and 75g chocolate broken into chunks in a small pan and gently heat, stirring, until completely melted.
• Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda with a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk or yogurt together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add 100ml boiling water and whizz briefly with an electric whisk until the cake batter is lump free.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 mins, swapping the tins round after 20 mins if they're on different shelves. To test they're done, push in a skewer and check that it comes out clean.
• Prick the cakes a few times with a skewer. Mix together the 2 tbsp reserved cherry juice and the kirsch (or more juice) and drizzle over the cakes. Cool the cakes.
• Mix together the remaining drained cherries and jam. Tip 200ml of the cream into a small pan and heat until just below simmering point. Chop the remaining chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until melted. Set aside until spreadable.
• When the cakes are cool whisk the remaining cream and the icing sugar together until softly whipped. Spread over two of the cakes, then spoon over the jammy cherries. Stack the cakes together. Spread the chocolate cream over the third cake and sit on top of the other cakes. Pile the fresh cherries in and around the cake and serve

GATEAU AFRICAINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch round cake pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper.
• In the top of a double boiler, heat chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. Sift together the cocoa, flour, baking powder and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and milk powder. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the melted chocolate.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
• When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 3 layers. Brush layers with 1/2 cup rum and let stand 60 minutes. Place the bottom layer of cake on serving dish and spread with 1/2 of the custard filling. Repeat layers and top with last layer of cake.
• To make the Custard Filling: In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup cornstarch. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons rum.