Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- 1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (upper/lower heat) or 160 degrees C (convection). Grease and flour or line the bottom of a springform pan (approx. 26 cm diameter) with parchment paper.
- 2. For the dough, beat the eggs together with the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl using a hand mixer on the highest setting for at least 4 minutes until very light and frothy. Mix the flour with the baking cocoa and add it to the egg mixture. Briefly and gently fold it in until no dry spots remain. Pour the biskuit dough into the prepared springform. Place the form in the lower third of the preheated oven and bake the base for about 25 minutes. Perform a skewer test. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- 3. Once the base is cold, place it on a cake plate and secure a cake ring or the cleaned rim of the springform around it. For the cream, stir the Crème fraîche with the 100 g sugar and the vanilla sugar in a bowl until smooth. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water according to package instructions (usually 5-7 minutes). Squeeze out the softened gelatine well to remove excess water. Place it together with 2-3 tablespoons of the Crème fraîche mixture in a small pot and warm it over low heat until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Do not let it boil!
- 4. Tempering is important: Quickly stir the warm, liquid gelatine mixture into the remaining Crème fraîche mixture using a whisk to prevent lumps. In a separate bowl, whip the 300 g cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream under the Crème fraîche mixture. Peel the ripe bananas and halve them lengthwise.
- 5. Place the banana halves, cut side down, on the chocolate biskuit, arranging them in a ring shape, leaving about 1 cm of the edge free. Distribute the prepared cream evenly over the bananas and smooth the surface. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes to allow the cream to set slightly.
- 6. When the cream has firmed up slightly, prepare the glaze. Roughly chop the dark chocolate couverture. Heat the 100 g cream in a small pot until it boils. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a moment (about 1-2 minutes) so the chocolate can soften, then stir it with a spoon or whisk until a homogeneous chocolate mass forms. Let the glaze cool for 2-3 minutes – it should no longer be hot but still liquid. Spoon it onto the cake and spread it carefully up to the edge. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour (preferably longer!) until everything is properly set. Carefully remove the cake ring before serving.
Notes
Tips for Success: Ensure the water for soaking gelatine is cold. Do not boil the gelatine mixture when dissolving it, just warm it. Tempering the gelatine mixture (stirring warm gelatine mixture into a small amount of cold cream first before combining everything) is crucial to prevent lumps. Do not overmix the biskuit dough after adding flour and cocoa; mix only until just combined to keep the base light. Be patient with chilling; the cake needs ample time in the refrigerator to set properly. You can bake the chocolate biskuit base the day before and store it well-wrapped at room temperature to save time.
Storage: Store the Banana Chocolate Cake in the refrigerator, well-covered (e.g., with cling film or in a cake box). It will keep for about 2-3 days. Note that the cut surface of the bananas may brown slightly over time, but this is only cosmetic and doesn't affect the taste.