Introduction:
I was inspired a few months ago by the great French chef Michel Roux and his wonderful dessert ‘Marquis Roulade’; essentially a light cake-like biscuit filled with Chantilly cream, raspberries and raspberry coulis. Here in this antipodean land, known to most as Australia, cherries are in season and fruit and vegetable purveyors a stone’s throw from my humble abode have been displaying them in regal splendour. Unfortunately, inclement weather has led to a shortage this year and thus the price is marginally less than a Branson intergalactic flight, but nonetheless my resistance was low and I bought ½ a kilo of some slightly under ripe glistening beauties. After leaving them for a few days to darken and sweeten the idea of a black forest type roulade came to mind and I began work.
Delving through some cooking archives I discovered that Black Forest gâteau, or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, is made during the summer months in Bavaria. It became famous in the mid-late 20th century as a rich cake dessert that has graced many a table table and wowed a plethora of guests, especially in Europe. In its original form it consists of a dark chocolate sponge layered with sweetened cream and cherries lightly cooked and macerated in kirsch (cherry liqueur). In recent years the dessert has somewhat been debased by ready-made frozen versions.
My version of this classic does not involve macerating the cherries in Kirsch but instead covering the biscuit sponge with a cherry coulis.
After finishing my dish I discovered that Delia Smith already has a version of a cherry roulade, so, so much for an original idea. However, I must hasten to add that this version is a very classy affair – great ingredients, delightfully airy and a great balance of sweet/ tart cherry, bitter cocoa and sweet fresh cream ( as I am sure Delia’s must be).
