Black Forest Gateaux, Low Sugar

A low-sugar take on a Black Forest gateau — three thin gluten-free chocolate sponges layered with kirsch-soaked cherries and unsweetened whipped cream, finished with dark chocolate shavings. Rich enough to feel like a proper gateau without piling on the sugar.

> Naturally gluten-free, using Freee plain gluten-free flour, cornflour and gluten-free baking powder.

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge

• 4 large eggs, separated, room temperature (or 5 medium)
• 10–30 g golden caster sugar
• 50 g light muscovado sugar
• 50 g Groovy Keto 1:1 sweetener
• 60 g Yeo Valley unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
• 57 g Freee plain gluten-free flour
• 10 g cornflour
• 33 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• Pinch of salt

Cherries and soak

• 350 g frozen pitted cherries
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 25 ml kirsch or brandy
• 2–3 tbsp cherry cooking liquid for brushing

Cream and decoration

• 450 ml Longley Farm whipping cream, unsweetened
• 40–50 g dark chocolate, shaved

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Lightly grease three 7-inch tins and line the bases.

2. Thaw the cherries in a saucepan over a low heat until they release their juice. Lift out the cherries and set aside.

3. Measure 100 ml of the released cherry liquid, topping up with water only if necessary.

4. Mix the cornflour with a little cold cherry liquid. Heat the remainder, whisk in the cornflour mixture and simmer briefly until glossy and lightly thickened. Return the cherries, then cool completely.

5. Beat the egg yolks, caster sugar and muscovado for about 5 minutes, until very pale and thick. Beat in the Groovy Keto sweetener.

6. Sift together the Freee flour, cornflour, cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder and salt.

7. Whisk the egg whites in a completely clean bowl to soft-to-medium peaks.

8. Fold one large spoonful of egg white into the yolk mixture to loosen it. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients, followed gently by the remaining egg white in two additions.

9. Mix a spoonful of batter into the melted butter. Gently fold this butter mixture back into the main batter.

10. Divide evenly between the tins — approximately 165 g batter per tin.

11. Bake for 13–17 minutes, checking at 13 minutes. The previous 18–22-minute instruction was too long for three thin 7-inch layers and risked drying them out.

12. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out carefully and cool completely.

13. Mix the kirsch or brandy with 2–3 tbsp cherry cooking liquid. Brush lightly over the three sponges.

14. Whip the cream to firm but smooth peaks.

15. Layer the sponges with cream and drained cherry mixture. Cover the top and sides with the remaining cream and finish with dark-chocolate shavings.

16. Chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.