Recipe: Emelia Jackson’s Black Forest brookies

“My best friend Tammy always asks for Black Forest cake for her birthday,” writes Emelia Jackson. “One year, I brought the goods: I went totally over the top with layers of chocolate mousse, sponge, a cherry jelly and vanilla crémeux – it was big and bold and totally non-traditional. These brookie sandwiches are just that: big, bold and totally non-traditional.

“If you can’t find buckwheat flour for the brownie cookies, you can replace it with cornflour in the same quantity. Start this recipe a day ahead, if possible, to allow the chocolate chantilly time to set and chill thoroughly.” 

Makes 6. Gluten free. 

Ingredients

Buckwheat chocolate brownie cookies
240 g (8 ½ oz) good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 60%)
40 g (1 ½ oz) unsalted butter
2 eggs
150 g (5 ½ oz) caster sugar
30 g (1 oz) buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate chantilly
150 g (5 ½ oz) dark chocolate, chopped
500 ml (17 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream
200 ml (7 fl oz) thick (double) cream
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste  

Cherry compote
300 g (10 ½ oz) jar morello cherries, in their juice
75 g (2 ½ oz) caster sugar 
1 teaspoon cornflour 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2 tablespoons kirsch liqueur

Method 

First bake the buckwheat chocolate brownies: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium in 60-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy.
4. Fold in the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, along with the buckwheat flour, salt and vanilla.
5. Use a tablespoon to measure out the batter and place it on the baking trays, leaving plenty of room for spreading.
6. Bake the cookies for 10–13 minutes or until puffed up and cracked on the surface.
7. Allow them to cool completely on the trays – if you move them while they’re still warm, the bottoms can tear off. 

 For the chantilly:

1. For the chantilly, combine the chocolate and 200 ml (7 fl oz) of the thickened cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.
2. Add the rest of the thickened cream, the thick cream and the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set this in the fridge until completely chilled (preferably overnight).
3. For the cherry compote, tip the cherries and liquid from the jar into a saucepan and add the sugar, cornflour, vanilla and kirsch.
4. Cook over medium heat until the cherries have softened slightly and the juices have thickened (thank you, cornflour!). Allow this mixture to cool completely.

 To assemble the brookies:

5. Transfer the chilled chocolate and cream mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed until thickened to firm peaks.
6. Transfer the chocolate chantilly to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #1M star nozzle or a 1 cm (1⁄2 inch) star nozzle.
7. Pipe a decent amount of chantilly around the edge of one of the brownie cookies and fill the cavity with the cherry compote.
8. Top with a second cookie and gently press to Repeat with the remaining cookies.

These are best eaten the day they’re filled, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.