Janice feuers chocolate decadence

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Dark sweet chocolate
5 ounces Sweet butter
4 larges Eggs
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Flour
2 cups Whipping cream
1 tablespoon Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Chocolate curls made from
One quarter pound dark sweet
Chocolate
8 ounces Fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions

Turn on the oven to 425 degrees. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit perfectly the inside bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan.

(Alternatively, butter and flour a round of wax paper.) In the top of a double-boiler, melt together one pound of the finest dark sweet chocolate you find with five oz of wondrously sweet butter. As soon as the butter and chocolate are melted and satiny smooth, remove from the heat and proceed to step 4. Whisking all the while place 4 eggs and one Tbls. sugar in the top of a double boiler or bain marie, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens and becomes barely warm to the touch. Acting quickly, remove the eggs from the heat and beat at the absolutely highest speed of an electric mixer until the eggs reach their potential treble volume and are the consistency of lightly whipped cream (5 to 10 minutes). Remove the mixer. With cupped hand, fold in one Tbls. of flour. Do this very, very gently...

now sensuously mix ⅓ of the voluptuous egg mixture into the resting chocolate. Once the egg and rested chocolate are carefully combined, using the utmost tenderness and again with your hand, fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped eggs. When no longer marbled, pour your uncooked Chocolate Decadence into its prepared pan. Tap the pan lightly on the table and place it into the preheated oven. Remove the pan the oven after NO MORE than 15 minutes. The Decadence will be luxuriously soft in its center and crusty on its top. When it has cooled, place the cake, while still in its pan, into the freezer for at least a good night's rest. On the chosen day, whip two cups of heavy cream with one Tbls. powdered sugar and one tsp pure vanilla extract. The cream must be smooth, silky, and firm enough not only to smother the cake, but also to hold its own shape when piped. Do not overwhip. Make chocolate curls from one quarter pound of the same wondrous chocolate using the homely potato peeler.

Having the chocolate slightly above room temperature makes it delightfully susceptible to curling. Puree and strain 8 oz of fresh or frozen raspberries. You may choose to add powdered sugar to the fresh berries to soften just a little their tartness. Put the luscious red mixture into the prettiest bowl in the pantry. Remove the Chocolate Decadence from the freezer and from its pan by momentarily spinning the pan over high heat. Turn the cake out onto a flat platter. Remove the parchment paper. Mask the Decadence with ⅔ of the whipped cream. Pile the chocolate curls precariously high in the center, then pipe rosettes with the remaining cream majestically around the edge surrounding the curled chocolate. Refrigerate your creation, but remove 15 minutes before serving to 12 marvelously close, or to 8 hopelessly-decadent friends. And, oh yes, pass the raspberry puree...

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