Chocolate, Kirsch and Cherry Croquembouche
Christiaan created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 15. For 1970s Week, he reimagined the Black Forest gâteau as a croquembouche of cocoa choux buns capped with crisp craquelin, filled with cherry-kirsch jam and a silky chocolate-kirsch namelaka. The judges admired how uniform and attractive the tower looked. Paul Hollywood praised the balance of the boozy kirsch against the outer Chantilly, telling Christiaan it really screamed Black Forest gâteau and that he had done really well.
- Time: 300 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- FOR THE COCOA CRAQUELIN
- unsalted butter, soft
- light brown sugar
- plain flour
- Dutch-process cocoa powder
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE CHOUX
- water
- whole milk
- unsalted butter, cubed
- granulated sugar
- fine salt
- plain flour, sifted
- large eggs , beaten; add to consistency
- FOR THE CHERRY-KIRSCH JAM
- pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
- lemon juice
- kirsch, stir in off heat
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE-KIRSCH NAMELAKA
- sheet gelatine, bloomed
- glucose / light corn syrup
- dark chocolate , finely chopped
- kirsch
- cold heavy cream, straight from the fridge
- FOR THE KIRSCH CHANTILLY
- heavy cream, cold
- icing sugar
- vanilla extract
- FOR THE CARAMEL & TO FINISH
- granulated sugar, for the caramel
- fresh cherries, stems on, to decorate
- Dark chocolate shards / cocoa, to taste, optional finish
- EQUIPMENT
- Piping bags with a plain round tip and a small plain tip
- Heavy saucepan for the caramel
- Stand mixer or hand whisk
- Stick / immersion blender
- Baking trays with parchment or a perforated choux mat
- Round cookie cutter to stamp craquelin discs
- Fine sieve; instant-read or sugar thermometer
- Cone mould or free-form stacking surface; gloves for hot caramel