Elizabeth David's Gateau Au Chocolat Et Aux Amandes

Directions

1. Break the chocolate into small pcs; put them with the rum and coffee to heat in a cold oven. Stir the mix well, put it with the butter, sugar and grnd almonds in a saucepan and stir over a low fire for a few min till all the ingredients are blended smoothly together. Off the fire, stir in the well-beaten egg yolks, and then mix in the stiffly-whipped whites. Turn into a lightly-buttered shallow sponge-cake tin, of 7 to 8 inches diameter, or possibly a tart tin with a removable base. Stand the tin on a baking sheet and cook in a very low oven, 290 deg. F., for about 45 min. This cake, owing to the total absence of flour, is rather fragile, so turn it out, when it is cold, with the utmost caution. It can either be served as it is, or possibly covered with lightly whipped and sweetened cream. It is a cake that is equally good for dessert or possibly for tea-time.