serves 12, from Bon Appétit
Ingredients
- 20 ounces semi sweet chocolate
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1/4 cup brandy (or Kahlúa, Crème de Cacao ) – I have only made this with Kahlúa
- 6 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts – I leave out the nuts
- 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Butter and flour two 9″ round cake pans
- Melt 12 ounces chocolate with butter & brandy in double boiler (I don’t have a double boiler so I use a simmer/burn plate to diffuse the heat, watch closely and stir often)
- Stir until smooth
- Remove chocolate mixture from over water (if using double boiler) and cool completely
- Beat eggs yolks until pale yellow
- Gradually add sugar, flour and vanilla and continue beating until thick
- Using clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form
- Fold melted chocolate into yolk mixture
- Gently fold 1/4 of egg whites to lighten
- Fold in remaining whites
- Fold in nuts
- Pour batter into prepared pans
- Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean – approximately 30 minutes
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes
- Invert onto racks and cool completely
- Melt remaining chocolate with cream
- Stir until smooth
- Transfer to bowl and set over large bowl filled with ice
- Beat until cool
- Ice cake
- Chill at least 1 hour
- Cake can be made 1 day ahead