Black Forest brownie tower
- Prepare
- 1-2 hours
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 16
- Dietary
- Nut-freeVegetarian
Fudgy brownie rounds stacked with whipped cream, jam and syrupy black cherries - need we say more?
Ingredients
For the brownie
- 350g/12oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces
- 600g/1lb 5oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 6 free-range eggs
To serve
- 370g jar whole black cherries in syrup or kirsch
- 8 tbsp cherry jam
- 600ml/21fl oz double cream
- 100g/3½oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
Method
To make the brownie, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line two 20cm/8in round baking tins with baking parchment.
Add the butter to a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and melt it slowly, stirring continuously (be careful not to let it catch and burn).
Turn the heat to low, add the chocolate and use a spatula to stir until the chocolate has melted completely into the butter and you have a smooth, glossy mixture.
Take the pan off the heat, add the sugar and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the flour and baking powder and stir until you have a fine mixture that resembles breadcrumbs, with no lumps of flour or sugar visible.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs for 20–30 seconds until light and frothy. Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the whisked eggs through the chocolate mixture, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible, to form a smooth batter.
Divide the batter between the lined baking tins, spreading it evenly over the bases.
Bake for 25–30 minutes. They're done when the edges are set and the centre has risen and started to crack but may still look a bit soft and wobbly. Test with a cocktail stick – if it comes out completely covered in smooth chocolate, bake for a few minutes more. When it’s perfectly cooked, the cocktail stick should come out with a few small clumps of batter sticking to it. If it comes out completely clean, the brownie will be more cake-like.
Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tins on a wire rack for 1–2 hours, before removing from the tins.
To assemble, put one of the cooled brownie rounds on a serving plate to form the base.
Spoon 4 tablespoons of the syrup from the cherry jar (reserving the cherries) over the top of the brownie. Use a spatula to spread the cherry jam over the base.
In a medium bowl, use an electric whisk to whisk the cream until it just forms stiff peaks. Spread half of the whipped cream over the cherry jam.
Carefully place the second brownie round on top of the whipped cream. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top.
To decorate, working directly over the tower, drag a vegetable peeler down the length of the chocolate to create small chocolate curls. Arrange the black cherries from the jar on top.
To serve, use a sharp chef’s knife, with the blade dipped into hot water and immediately wiped dry, to cut clean slices.
