Drunken Chocolate Cake

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
five ounces (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark rum
four huge eggs, separated
1-1/4 cups sugar
one cup flour
Pinch salt
Chocolate Glaze:
one cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Chantilly Cream:
1/2 cup and one Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon sugar or to taste
Tiny pinch salt

Preparation:


To make cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a greased 9-inch-round cake pan with parchment paper. Merge the chocolate, butter, & rum in the top half of a double boiler over gently boiling water. When all is melted, set it aside to cold to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, merge the egg yolks & 1/2 cup and three tablespoons sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. With beaters at high speed, whip the egg mixture three minutes until thick. Decrease speed to medium-low & beat in the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour & salt.

Put the egg white in a separate mixing bowl. With tidy beaters, whip them on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high & whip until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar & continue beating until stiff. Fold a third of the egg whites in to the chocolate batter. When they are  incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter in to the prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out tidy. Set pan on wire rack to cold.

To make glaze: Meanwhile, put the cream in a heavey-bottomed saucepan & bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the cream from the heat & whisk in the chocolate until smooth. Cold the glaze to room temperature.

To serve: Unmold the cake & use glaze to frost the side & top of the cake. Permit the cake to rest at least one hour before cutting. Cut with a hot dry knife (dip the knife in hot water & then dry off). Serve with Chantilly Cream.

To make cream: Put whipping cream, vanilla, sugar, & salt in a immense stainless steel bowl. Whisk the cream until it holds its shape. Refrigerate until prepared to make use of. Use within one hour or you may require to rewhip it slightly.

Yield: 8 to ten servings