Flourless Chocolate Cake

We fixed this for a dinner Friday night and got rave reviews. It is my absolute favorite -- loved on ship board prepared by marvelous chefs, and now find that I can make it and love it too!

It originally came from a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line cookbook and is decadently luscious, if you like chocolate. Neither Beloved Husband nor I like rum, so I used cherry extract. Think chocolate covered cherries. Instant coffee changes the flavor and gives too much coffee taste, so use fresh brewed.

Also, it took about ten minutes longer to bake -- I don't know why.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum (or cherry flavoring)
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
5 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream

Whipped cream, fresh fruit and mint leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 10-inch springform cake pan with butter and wrap the outside of the pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in.

Chill a large mixing bowl.

Place the chocolate, vanilla, rum and coffee in the top of a double boiler set over 1 inch of simmering (not boiling) water. Whisk until the chocolate is smooth and no small lumps remain. Turn off the heat and remove the mixture from the hot water. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. With an electric mixer, beat until pale in color, stopping 2 or 3 times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 1/4 of the chocolate mixture and beat until blended. Pour this mixture into the remaining chocolate mixture. Stir until combined.

Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in the chilled mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and cover the top with aluminum foil. Place in a roasting pan and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the outside of the cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until small cracks appear on the surface.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack. Chill in the refrigerator overnight until ready to serve.

To serve, unmold the cake and place on a chilled dessert plate. Garnish with whipped cream, fresh fruit and mint leaves. Serve chilled -- it's very creamy and cuts better before it reaches room temperature.

Yield: eight to 10 servings.