BLACK FOREST GATEAU

For the cake
200g plain chocolate,broken into pieces
175g unsalted butter
300g light soft brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs,separated
300g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
400ml semi skimmed milk,warmed
For the filling
2 x 425g tins black  cherries in syrup
4 tbsp kirsch
3 tbsp black cherry jam
For the icing
200g white chocolate,broken into pieces
568ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 190c/fan 170c/gas 5.Grease and base line 3 x 20cm round sandwich tins then put the plain chocolate into a bowl over gently simmering water.Once melted,set aside to cool slightly.In a large bowl,beat together the butter,sugar and vanilla until creamy.Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl,add to the butter mixture and beat again.Add the cooled chocolate and beat again.Mix together the plain flour,cocoa powder,baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a separate bowl.Sieve half of this over the wet mixture,then add half the milk and gently fold together.Repeat with the remaining flour mix and milk.Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks and fold into the mixture then pour the cake mix into the three lined tins.Bake for 20-25 mins until cooked then leave to cool.While the cakes cool,boil the cherries in syrup until reduced by half.Leave to cool.Add the kirsch and mix.Spoon some of the cherry juice over the cakes then leave the cherries to cool.Melt almost all of the white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water and leave to cool.Whip the cream to soft peaks,then add the cooled melted white choclate and gently stir to mix.Put one of the cakes on a plate then spread over a tbsp of black cherry jam,top with just less then a third of the cream and a third of the cherries.Repeat with another layer,then top with the third cake,jam,cream and cherries.Top with chocolate curls or grated chocolate and serve.