“I had a lot of aunties who weren’t my real aunties: Aunty Dora, Aunty Vera, Aunty Irene. My real aunties, Margret, Annie and Isla – my Dad’s sisters – I only saw twice, once one Christmas and then when my dad’s twin brother Willie died,” says Celebrity MasterChef 2018 winner, actor John Partridge.

“So, I guess that’s why I had surrogates. They were like my real aunties, though, and loved me as if they were – as I did them – giving me birthday cards with a fiver in, and at Christmas, too. ‘Call your Aunty Irene and say thank you,’ Mum would always say. ‘Do I have to?’ I pleaded. ‘Yes!’ she commanded.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“It was my sister’s 21st birthday party, and I was swigging all the half-drunk glasses at the tables while everyone was dancing to the S.O.S. Band. Aunty Irene had spotted me and was not about to let my behaviour go unchallenged.

“‘You’ll be sick,’ she warned. ‘I know, sorry,’ and off Alfie and I went. Alfie was my best friend from The Royal Ballet School. We went outside and had a fag, a Peter Stuyvesant – in fact, I had three back-to-back. I then proceeded to have a whitey and threw up all the Black Forest gâteau I had eaten at the buffet, just as Aunty Irene and Dora came outside.”

John Partridge's Black Forest Gateau
John Partridge’s Black Forest Gateau (Louise Hagger/PA)
John Partridge's Black Forest Gateau
Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Black Forest gateau
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1206 Calories from Fat 765
% Daily Value*
Fat 85g131%
Saturated Fat 52g325%
Cholesterol 255mg85%
Sodium 272mg12%
Potassium 714mg20%
Carbohydrates 104g35%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 83g92%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 3763IU75%
Vitamin C 13mg16%
Calcium 191mg19%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Black Forest gateau

A classic dessert
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 8
Calories: 1206kcal
Author: John Partridge

Equipment

  • 3 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins.
  • 3 saucepans
  • 3 mixing bowls
  • Wire rack
  • 2 heatproof bowls

Ingredients

  • 200 g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
  • 300 g dark chocolate
  • 325 g plain flour
  • 375 g golden caster sugar
  • 30 g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 200 ml buttermilk
  • 100 ml boiling water
  • 850 g black cherries
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 4 tbsp kirsch
  • 900 ml double cream
  • 100 g white chocolate broken into pieces
  • 10 fresh cherries with stalks
  • 3 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp raspberry jam

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Grease and line three 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins.
  • Melt the butter and 75g of the dark chocolate in a small saucepan over a low heat.
  • Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then mix in the sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt.
  • In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
  • Now add the egg mixture and melted butter and chocolate mixture to your dry mixture along with the measured boiling water and whisk just until it’s smooth. Don’t over mix!
  • Pour your cake mixture evenly into your prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes, until the cakes are well risen and the sides are shrinking away from the tin – sometimes I swap the cakes on the shelves halfway through baking, to make sure they cook evenly. Turn out on to a wire rack, remove the lining paper and leave to cool.
  • While your cakes are cooling, grate 100g of the remaining dark chocolate and chill the shavings in the refrigerator.
  • Drain the canned cherries, reserving the juice, and set aside. Mix the cornflour with a little of the reserved cherry juice in a saucepan to make a paste, then stir in the remaining juice and 2 tablespoons of kirsch and bring to the boil, stirring. Cook until the mixture thickens and turns syrupy. Leave to cool.
  • Break the last of the dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat 250ml of the double cream in a saucepan, then pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stirring until it has melted.
  • Melt the white chocolate in another heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Holding each fresh cherry in turn by the stalk, dip them into the melted white chocolate, then leave to cool on a sheet of nonstick baking paper.
  • Whip the rest of the cream with the icing sugar in a mixing bowl until forming stiff peaks. Fold in the vanilla and the remaining 2 tablespoons of kirsch.
  • If you’re like me, the kitchen will look like a war zone by now, so have a little tidy and a breather.
  • Put a bit of whipped cream on the centre of your serving plate and place your first sponge on top. Brush the sides with cherry syrup and spread the top with half of the raspberry jam, a layer of whipped cream and half of the drained cherries. Put the second sponge on top and repeat. Add the final sponge (upside down to give the top a flat surface) and brush the sides with the last of the syrup.
  • Pour the melted chocolate and cream mixture on the top. Spread whipped cream around the sides with a palette knife, then pipe the remaining cream around the top edge. Press the chilled chocolate shavings onto the cake sides with the palm of your hand and finally arrange your dipped white cherries on top. Even Sara Lee will be impressed!

Nutrition

Calories: 1206kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 52g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 83g | Vitamin A: 3763IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 6mg

There’s No Taste Like Home by John Partridge is published by Mitchell Beazley.

How to make John Partridge’s Lancashire hotpot

 

Best-selling 20cm round cake tins

Stuck for inspiration? Check out our list of best-selling Amazon products!

SaleBestseller No. 1
MasterClass 20 cm Springform Cake Tin with Loose Base, Non Stick, Robust 1 mm Carbon Steel, PFOA...
  • EASY RELEASE: this cake pan has a secure springform clasp, so its easy to remove your cakes without damage
  • SUPREME PERFORMANCE: its 1 mm thick carbon steel body ensures smooth heat transfer, while 2 robust non stick layers make cleaning simple
  • VERSATILE: an all-rounder, this 20 cm cake tin is ideal for baking moist sponges, creamy cheesecakes, and rich fruitcakes
Bestseller No. 2
Grilzy Cake Tin - 8 Inch Cake Tins for Baking, 20cm Springform Cake Tins for Cheesecake, Non-Stick...
  • 🎂【 Upgrade Your Kitchenware 】- Our 8 Inch Cake Tins for Baking has a balanced base with no-space locking clips, so you can enjoy the perfect baking experience without worrying about the leakage...
  • 🎂【 Rust and Dent Proof 】- High-quality steel 20cm springform cake tins that does not rust even after consistent usage, which means you won't get scolded by your women for selecting the wrong...
  • 🍰【 No More Metallic Taste 】- While ordinary 20cm cake tins starts chipping after baking a few cakes; our springform cake tins have carbon coating that does not fall even after regular use
SaleBestseller No. 3
Chef Aid Non-stick Cake Tin, Round Sandwich Pan with Loose Base for Easy Release, Fridge and Freezer...
  • EVERDAY USE – This non-stick, easy clean, round cake tin is ideal for sponges, desserts, cakes, cheesecakes and pies
  • EASY RELEASE WITH REMOVABLE BASE - With the loose base design, storing and baking cakes couldn't be any easier
  • FREEZER AND FRIDGE SAFE – This essential Cake Tin can store baked goods in the fridge or freezer; The ability to go from freezer to oven is ideal for pre baking, and reheating from frozen when...
SaleBestseller No. 4
Tala Performance, Loose Base Round Deep Cake Tin, Professional Gauge Carbon Steel with Eclipse...
  • LOOSE base for quick release; Perfect for classic sponge cakes , sandwich cakes, cheesecakes, tiered cakes or any celebration bakes
  • ECLIPSE non-stick coating is the best non-stick coating on available on the market; With its dual non-stick coating Tala Performance has excellent release properties, is super easy to clean; and long...
  • ROBUST Made with robust heavy weight carbon steel; The thick carbon steel is incredibly strong, long-lasting and is an excellent heat conductor; The coating is so strong it is safe for use with metal...
Bestseller No. 5
HaWare 8inch Cake Tins Set of 3, Non-Stick Stainless Steel Cake Pan, Round Birthday Wedding Layer...
  • HEALTHY STAINLESS STEEL CORE: Made of 100% food grade stainless steel core, No harmful chemicals spreading into your food, Rust-resistant and healthful for your daily use, Far Superior to aluminum or...
  • NON-TOXIC NONSTICK COATING: Coated with healthy non-stick coating for effortless food release, preventing baked foods from sticking to the pan, Easy to clean and hand washing recommended (for better...
  • EXQUISITE CRAFT: One-piece construction for forming a perfect cake without batter leaking, 5cm straight-side design to cut cake evenly and perfectly layer cakes, Smooth rolled edges without sharp...

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

You may be interested in…

This article may include affiliate links to products and services where we may receive a small fee to support the running of this site if you make a purchase or is a sponsored article from one of our select editorial partners providing valuable advice and information to our readers.

ADVERTISEMENT

2 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Recipe Rating




Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.