Preparation method

Chocolate cake:

• Line the bottom of 3 x 20cm non-stick cake tins and preheat the oven to 160 C
• Beat eggs until ribbon stage
• Sift together the sugar, flour, bicarb, baking powder, cocoa, and salt
• Mix together the instant coffee, boiling water and dark chocolate
• Whisk the vanilla and the buttermilk until smooth
• On low speed, add the vegetable oil to the beaten eggs in a steady stream
• Pour in the buttermilk mixture and then the coffee mixture
• Fold in half of the flour mix and stir well until fully incorporated
• Add the remaining flour mix and ensure it is fully incorporated
• Pour a third of the batter into each cake tin (about 420g in each)
• Tap out any visible air bubbles
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, checking with a skewer when done
• Allow to cool on a wire rack in the tin

Chocolate glaze:

• Place the sugar in a bowl, sieve the cocoa powder over it and then make a well
• Pour in the water, continuously stirring, to make a paste
• Combine the paste and the cream and boil for 3 minutes
• Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft
• Squeeze excess water from the gelatine, then add to chocolate mixture to dissolve
• Strain, allow to cool, skimming any bubbles
• Microwave in a short burst (when needed for assembly) then transfer to jug for pouring

Cherry gel:

• Make the cherry puree by cooking down the cherries and then strain
• Weigh out 457g of the cherry puree
• Mix together the sugar and agar-agar
• Boil the 270g of water and add the agar-agar and sugar mix, whisking until thick
• Add to the puree with 170g of water
• Blitz until a smooth mix forms and strain again
• Allow to set, then blitz again, set aside in the fridge until needed

Chocolate ganache:

• Melt the chocolate and cream together
• Set aside until needed

White chocolate mascarpone cream:

• Beat the mascarpone and double thick cream together
• Melt the white chocolate and add the mascarpone mixture with the Kirsch
• Whip the cream and fold into the mascarpone mixture
• Set aside in the fridge until needed

Garnish:

• Melt the chocolates separately
• Dip the 3 cherries in white chocolate, almost to the top, allow to set
• Then dip in the dark chocolate, to about half way, then allow to set
• Dice up the rest of the cherries and then add the diced walnuts

Assembly:

• Place the first cake on a cake board, place a dollop of the chocolate ganache in the centre
• Spread half of the cherry gel over first layer of cake
• Spread just less than half of the mascarpone cream over the gel
• Place the second cake layer on top and then repeat
• Create a smooth and flat crumb coat over the entire cake with remaining cream
• Place the cake in the freezer until the crumb coat is well set and hard
• Ice with Ganache then return cake to the freezer until Ganache is set
• Warm the glaze until pouring consistency
• Working quickly, pour the glaze over the cake