Bittersweet Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Sauce And Toast

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium
saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup water and bring
to a boil, stirring, over high heat. Meanwhile, combine the
chocolates and the butter in a medium bowl. When the sugar mixture
boils, pour it over the chocolates and stir until blended. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the eggs.
Using a mixer set at high speed, whip the eggs and sugar until the
mixture falls back onto itself in a slowly dissolving ribbon-like
pattern when the beater is lifted. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture to the
chocolate mixture and fold in with a spatula to lighten. Fold in the
remaining egg mixture.

Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Spray 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or 6
(2- by 3-inch) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and place them
in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them. Divide the batter
among the ramekins, place the roasting pan in the oven, and add
enough water to the pan to come three-quarters of the way up the
sides of the ramekins. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the
middle of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it,
about 30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool to room temperature, about
30 minutes.

For the Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate and cream
and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is
melted. Cool for at least 30 minutes.

For the Cream: Bring cream and almonds to a boil and store
refrigerated for 24 hours. Strain, add vanilla and whip.

For Plating: Dust plates with cocoa. Invert the ramekins onto the
plates and add a scoop of the almond cream to each. Drizzle the
chocolate over the cake and cream, sprinkle with chocolate curls, if
using, and serve.

This recipe yields 6 servings.