Chocolate Nemesis

My neighbor Kim is a wonderful cook and was kind enough to share the recipe with me. I've made it several times and just love it. It is VERY rich and tastey.

Chocolate Nemesis

½ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or 1 lb. bittersweet choc chips)

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up

7 large eggs, at room temperature

Softly whipped crème fraiche (or whipped cream)

Fresh raspberries for garnish

1)     Preheat oven to 325F. Grease bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Dust side of pan with flour. Set pan on wide sheet of heavy-duty foil and tightly wrap foil up outside of pan to prevent water from leaking in during baking. (I don’t have double wide aluminum foil so I join two pieces by folding over the edges a couple of times, wrap it around the pan and then do it again in the opposite direction to be sure the pan does not leak).

2)     In a 4-quart saucepan, heat water and ½ cup of sugar over medium-high heat until sugar completely dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate and butter to mixture in saucepan; stir constantly until melted. Remove pan from heat; cool chocolate mixture slightly, about 30 minutes.

3)     Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer at high speed (mix don’t whisk!), beat eggs with remaining ½ cup of sugar 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens and triples in volume. With wire whisk, fold warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture until complete blended.

4)     Pour batter into prepared springform pan; place in large (17” by 11 ½”) roasting pan and set on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.

5)     Bake cake 30 – 35 minutes or until edge begins to set and a thin crust forms on top. Carefully remove springform pan from water bath and place on wire rack. Cook cake to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6)     About 30 minutes before serving, run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove foil and side of pan. Invert cake onto waxed paper; peel off parchment. Turn cake right side up onto platter. Serve with whipped cream and berries.