Black Forest gateau

Beat eight medium eggs, 5.5 ounces granulated sugar and two teaspoons vanilla extract in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment at least eight minutes until more than tripled in volume.

Sift 3.5 ounces all-purpose flour and two ounces cocoa powder and fold them very gently into the batter.

Slacken three tablespoons of melted butter with a spoonful of the batter and fold that in.

Do not whisk once the dry ingredients are in; the batter deflates and the cake will not rise, since there is no chemical leavener.

Variation that avoids the deflation: pre-sift the dry ingredients onto parchment paper and channel them slowly into the running mixer on the paddle attachment for a minute or two.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes to a Genoese sponge and cool completely.

Stem and halve the sour cherries and put them in a medium saucepan with half a cup powdered sugar, about two tablespoons cornstarch, about half a cup of their syrup and about a quarter cup Kirsch.

Simmer about ten minutes until thick and syrupy and cool completely.

Whip two pints heavy cream with one cup powdered sugar.

Split the cake into two rounds by working a knife around the outside at a constant level.

Spread a little whipped cream on the plate to hold the cake, lay the first half cut side up, sprinkle with Kirsch until lightly saturated, spread an even layer of whipped cream and top with half the cherry mixture, leaving a gap at the edge.

Repeat with the second layer, and a third cut from an earlier cake, then frost the outside with whipped cream.

Shave a chocolate bar with a knife, chop the shavings smaller and coat the outside of the cake with them.

Pipe eight whipped cream blossoms on top and set a sour cherry on each.