Flourless Chocolate Cake with Assam Ganache

Cake Ingredients:

8 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup (250 mL) butter
1 1/4 cup (310 mL) granulated sugar
6 eggs, separated
1 cup (250 mL) cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 ° F (180 ° C).
2. Lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
3. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler, set over a pan of hot (not boiling) water. When it is melted, remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder.
4. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar.
5. Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the melted chocolate/ butter/ cocoa into the eggs yolk/sugar mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
7. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
8. Let cake cool completely in pan. Unmold onto plate. Drizzle with ganache.

Ganache Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 mL) 35% cream
1 Tablespoon Assam (or another) black tea
4 oz good quality dark chocolate

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan bring the cream to a boil. Add the tea leaves then remove from heat. Let infuse for 1 hour, and then pass the mixture through a fine meshed sieve.
2. In the top of a double boiler, heat the cream with the chocolate, when the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool somewhat. Drizzle over cake.