Thursday, August 16, 2007

Cake!

Russian Forest Gateau
You will need (for the cake):
  • 250g 70-80% cocoa solids chocolate
  • 3 large organic free range eggs
  • 250g light muscovado sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 4 tablespoons good maple syrup
  • 40g self-raising flour
  • 20g cornflour
  • half teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 50g cocoa powder
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 250g raw beetroot (peeled and finely grated)
  • 100ml very strong black coffee (not instant, please!)
  • 30ml extra virgin olive oil
For the topping:
  • 150g 70-80% cocoa solids chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons very strong black coffee
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons good maple syrup
For the filling:
  • Half a jar of good quality black cherry jam
Instructions:
  1. Dip a pastry brush into the olive oil and grease a 20cm springform cake pan.  Set aside.
  2. Set your oven to 140ºc (fan) or 160ºc (conventional).
  3. Melt the chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water and set aside to cool slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod, add the eggs, maple syrup and sugar and then beat vigourously with an electric whisk for three minutes until light and fluffy.
  5. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
  6. Fold in the beetroot, chocolate, coffee and oil, again, until thoroughly incorporated.
  7. Pour your cake mix into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf for ninety minutes, after which time, remove from the oven, cover with foil and return to bake for a further thirty minutes.
  8. Test to see if the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer.  If it comes out clean, it's done.  This is a moist cake, though, remember, so it won't come out spotless.  If it's really messy, return it to the oven for another five or ten minutes and then test again.
  9. Now, take all the ingredients for the topping and melt, again, slowly over a pan of barely simmering water.  Once everything's melted, mix together gently and set aside to cool.
  10. Once your cake is done and cooled on a wire rack, slice it in half, spread the bottom layer with the cherry jam and pop the other half of the cake on top.
  11. Pop your cake, now, onto a plate and cover the top and sides with your chocolate topping.
It's utterly delicious.  Serve with a hot drink, coffee or, surprisingly, tea!  Rooibos is a perfect accompaniment!

8 comments:

FiL said...

Mmm, and I bet it's the beetroot that both gives it its name and luuurvely moistness.

Moncrief Speaks said...

You've gone completely... Metric!

A Lewis said...

You know, for we illiterate, not so smart Americans, this metric shit is for the birds. Who knows what sort of cake we'd end up with!

FiL said...

Pah! Don't get hung up on the measurements, just revel in the thought of all that velvety, sticky, chocolatey luxury. Drool...

*ZAPPP!!*

Damn, shorted out the keyboard...

Alan Fisher said...

don't give me the damned recipe, hen... bring a slice round and then I'll give you my verdict!

PS: It's bound to be very tasty.

David said...

I'm breaking out my conversion calculator right now.

Billy said...

OMG - somebody that know's what Rooibos tea is - I'm an addict!

I have this old metal teapot that sits and boils on the stove all night - the stronger rooibos gets, the better it gets...

(OMG - I sound like an old women - now where are my 20 cats...)

Old Cheeser said...

Sounds luscious. Can you post me some, please?