Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

1 x 425g can pitted cherries, including syrup

2 Tbsp cornflour

1/4 cup water

Round chocolate double layered sponge, store bought

500g (2 cups) Tatua Creme Fraiche

250g dark chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup icing sugar

Chocolate Bark:

100g-250g dark chocolate, chopped

Method

Make all the sauces and decorations first:

1. Place the cherries and their syrup into a medium saucepan and stir over a medium heat until simmering. Add the cornflour mixed with water and cook until combined and translucent. Pour into a bowl and put into the refrigerator to cool.
2. Chocolate Ganache: In a medium saucepan heat 250g (1 cup) Tatua Creme Fraiche until warm, add the chopped chocolate, and stir constantly until combined and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Creme Fraiche Filling: In a medium bowl mix together remaining 250g (1 cup) Tatua Creme Fraiche and icing sugar until smooth. Set aside.
4. Chocolate Bark: Melt chocolate in 20 second bursts in the microwave, or over a double boiler, stirring between each until chocolate is melted and smooth.
5. Using a large offset spatula, spread chocolate in a thin layer on a large sheet of parchment. Roll up the parchment from the short side and refrigerate or freeze until firm. To create the bark, simply unroll the parchment paper and the chocolate will crack into pieces. Break into smaller shards if preferred.
6. Cut each sponge cake into half horizontally so that you have 4 thin sponges. Place first cake onto a cake stand or serving plate and start to layer up with the toppings in the following order:

• Sponge - Sweet Creme Fraiche - Cherries
• Sponge - Chocolate Creme Fraiche - Cherries
• Sponge - Sweet Creme Fraiche - Cherries
• Sponge - Chocolate Creme Fraiche - Cherries - Chocolate bark inserted into top as shards for the “freaky” factor.

Slice into segments to serve, and to reveal the cherry chocolate creamy overload!