Recipe

Black forest brownies with cherry chocolate ganache

Feb 28, 2010 1:00pm
  • 35 mins cooking
  • Makes 24 Item
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Ingredients

Black forest brownies with cherry chocolate ganache
  • 1/2 cup (100g) bottled amarena cherries in syrup
  • 125 gram (4 ounces) butter, chopped
  • 185 gram (6 ounces) dark (semi-sweet) chocolate, chopped coarsely
  • 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water
  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 24 fresh cherries (175g), to serve
Cherry chocolate ganache
  • 1/2 cup (125m) pouring cream
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) amarena cherry syrup (from the cherries in syrup in the brownie)
  • 220 gram (7 ounces) dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped coarsely

Method

Black forest brownies with cherry chocolate ganache
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) slice pan; line base with paper, extending paper 5cm (2-inches) above long sides.
  • 2
    Drain cherries, reserving syrup for the cherry chocolate ganache. Chop cherries coarsely.
  • 3
    Place butter and chocolate in a small saucepan; stir over low heat until melted. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in sugar and the water, then eggs, sifted flour and amarena cherries. Pour mixture into pan.
  • 4
    Bake 30 minutes or until set; cool brownie in pan.
  • 5
    Meanwhile, make cherry chocolate ganache. Heat cream and syrup in a small saucepan until almost boiling, add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ganache is a spreadable consistency.
  • 6
    Turn brownie, top-side up, onto a serving plate. Spread ganache over brownie; cut into 24 pieces. Top each piece with a fresh cherry to serve.

Notes

Do-ahead: Brownie can be made a day ahead up to the end of step 4; store, covered, in the fridge. Unlike maraschino and glacé cherries, which are bleached and dyed red, Italian amarena cherries are a small sour cherry preserved in sugar syrup to retain their natural garnet colour and cherry taste. They are available from speciality delis and good greengrocers.

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