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Showstopper Blackberry Forest Gateau

Serves 12

Ingredients 

For the sponge:

6 Large Eggs

150g Caster Sugar

100g Self-Raising Flour

50g Raw Cocoa Powder

For the filling:

850g Blackberries

300g Caster Sugar

1 Lemon, Juiced

4tbsp Cornflour

1/2 tsp Blackberry essence 

1/2 teaspoon Monin Blackberry syrup 

750ml whipped cream

For the decoration:

150g Dark Chocolate 

75g White Chocolate

100g Blackberries

Instructions

Start by cooking the blackberry jam: 

1. In a large saucepan add the blackberries, sugar and lemon and heat on low until the sugar is dissolved.
2. In a small bowl add the cornflour, and 4tbsp of the juice from the pan.  Stir to combine and add the pan.
3. Keep mixing until the cornflour is dispersed add the essence and syrup.
4. Bring to the boil, and stir.
5. Pour into a shallow dish and cool.

Make the chocolate bark:

1. Line a cookie sheet with a non stick sheet. ( I use this: Non-Stick-Icing-Sheet )
2. Melt the dark chocolate slowly over a ban-marie stir constantly.
3. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in intervals of 15 seconds in the microwave stir in-between.
4. Pour the chocolate over the sheet and lever to your preference. 
5. Spoon the white chocolate over in random blobs.  Take a knife and swirl until desired marbled effect.
6. Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
7. Take the bark out of the fridge and smash up into shards.

Make the chocolate sponge:

1. Grease 4 20.5cm round cake tins or 2 23cm and cut each cake in half after baking.
2. Heat the oven to 180C. 
3. Break the eggs into a large bow along with the sugar and mix on high until doubled in size and lighter in colour.
4. Sift the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the egg and sugar mixture.
5. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins.
6. Cook for 15 minutes and allow to cool throughly. 

Decorating the cake:

1. Once the cake is cooled, whip your cream to soft peaks.
2. Place your first layer onto a icing turntable ( I use this: Icing-Turntable )
3. Add a generous layer of jam, and then cream.  Repeat this twice.
4. Add the top layer, and add leave the cake to set for 20 minutes.
5. Cover the sides and top with the rest of the whipped cream.
6. Add your shards of chocolate to cover the sides of the cake.
7. Add blackberries to the top.
8. Enjoy!

A Summer Decadent Pavlova

Pilled high with fresh summer berries, this pavlova is the ultimate show-stopper.  Great for any special occasion and easy to cater to your preference! 

Ingredients 

4 large egg whites

8oz caster sugar

1 tsp of vinegar

1 tsp of cornflour

1 Large carton of whipping cream (600ml)

Summer fruit, e.g. Strawberries and raspberries 

Mint leaf for decoration

Icing sugar

Instructions

*Top Tip

1. Place a sheet of grease proof paper on a baking sheet and mark a large dinner plate on it as a guide.  Roughly 12 inch or 30 cm.
2. Preheat oven to 150 C / gas mark 2. In a bowl  * ( I always use a stainless steel bowl, wiped out with half a lemon and then rinsed and dried with a paper towel)  I do this because the slightest speck of grease will make your meringue collapse. With the electric mixer on  full speed, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
3. Now add the caster sugar a table spoon at a time, beating well to each addition.  The mixture will start to look firm and glossy.  Before the last spoonful of caster sugar is incorporated
4. Mix the cornflour and vinegar into a paste.  Add to the egg whites and when incorporated add the last of the caster sugar and beat.  Don't over-beat.
5. Pile to meringue mixture onto the baking sheet and try to keep to the outline circle. The mixture should be stiff, glossy and form peaks on the back of your spoon.  Peak the mixture up, build the sides up and hollow out the middle slightly for the filling.
6. Reduce the oven to 140 C / gas mark 1, pop the meringue into the oven and bake for 80 to 85 mins or until pale cream in colour.  * I usually put the meringue in last thing in the evening,  on a timer, so the oven switches off after baking and then the meringue can dry out overnight.
7. In the morning remove from the oven and carefully peel off the grease proof paper and place onto a service platter.
8. Whip up the cream into soft peaks, but be carefully not to over whip.  It should still have some slackness in it.  I then put a little icing sugar into the mix to take off the cream taste.  This is entirely personal preference but I have found most people really like it as it doesn't taste obviously sweetened.
9. Prepare the strawberries by hulling, rinsing and drying.  Raspberries by rinsing and drying.
10. Pile the cream into the centre of the meringue and then pile the fruit on top.
11. It you want a little extra height then put a second, smaller layer of cream onto of the fruit and decorate with the last of the fruit and then a sprig of fresh mint.
12. When you are ready to serve.  Dredge icing sugar lightly over the top.

Other summer fruit can be substituted if your not keen on strawberries or raspberries.  Why not try kiwi!