Chocolate Nemesis

Preheat your oven to 300°F and place the rack in the middle position. Butter a round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment.

Melt together the chocolate and butter in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or double boiler). Stir occasionally until smooth and then remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and 1/3 cup of sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until it has tripled in volume and is thick enough to form ribbons when the beater is lifted.

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the remaining 2/3 cup sugar with the 7 tablespoons of water and stir until sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear (about 2 minutes.) Pour the hot syrup into the melted chocolate. Stir to combine and then let cool about 10 minutes.

Add the chocolate syrup, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, beating at medium speed. Continue to beat until it is just incorporated and then pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Place the cake pan into a roasting pan that has been lined with a kitchen towel. Add enough boiling water to reach about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the cake pan. Bake just until set, about 50-60 minutes. Cool the cake completely in the water bath before taking it out of the pan, about 2 hrs. I actually let the cake cool in the water bath and then refrigerated it overnight. It was still easy to unmold the next day. Run a thin knife around the edges of the cake pan to loosen if necessary. Place a plate over the pan and flip the cake onto the plate. Carefully peel off the parchment.

This cake is outrageously good. But it is dense and rich and it is best served with some homemade whipped cream to lighten it up. I also served it with fresh berries and chopped hazelnuts!