Chocolate Decadence

It's a lot of work, but boy is it worth it. This is a dessert sure to impress the boss or whoever you have over for dinner.

• Ready In: 24 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

• 1  lb  dark  sweet chocolate
• 5⁄8 cup unsalted butter
• 4  eggs
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon flour, sifted
• 2  cups  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
•  chocolate curls (to garnish)
• 8  ounces fresh raspberries or 8  ounces frozen raspberries, pureed and strained

Directions

1. Cut circle of parchment paper to fit 8-inch round cake pan.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Combine chocolate and butter in top of double boiler.
4. Set over gently simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
7. Wipe out top of double boiler (you'll be using it again).
8. Combine eggs and sugar in top of double boiler.
9. Set over gently simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture darkens and is barely warm to the touch.
10. Remove from heat.
11. Beat at high speed with electric mixer until eggs have tripled in volume and are consistency of lightly whipped cream, about 5 to 10 minutes.
12. Gently fold in flour.
13. Carefully stir 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate to loosen, then fold chocolate into remaining egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
14. Turn into prepared pan.
15. Bake until cake is soft in center but crusty on top, about 15 minutes.
16. Let cool completely in pan, then freeze overnight.
17. (Cake can be kept in freezer up to one month before serving.) About 1 hour before serving, whip cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until stiff.
18. Invert cake onto serving platter.
19. (Spinning pan briefly over high heat will help loosen cake from pan.) Spread 2/3 of whipped cream over top.
20. Mound chocolate curls in center.
21. Pipe rosettes around edge of cake using remaining whipped cream.
22. Refrigerate until about 15 minutes before serving.
23. Pass raspberry puree separately.