Flourless Foolproof Fabulous Chocolate Cake

CREME GANACHE
1 qt Heavy cream
2 lb Bittersweet chocolate

ENGLISH TOFFEE
3 c Walnuts; chopped
3 c Sugar
1/2 c Water
1/2 c Light Karo
2 ts Vanilla extract
2 c Butter, sweet

Preheat the oven to 325.

Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment
paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Beat the butter with
1/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, two
at a time, and then the rum, then the walnuts, beating well each time.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and the rest of the sugar
until they are stiff and shiny. Add the melted chocolate to the
butter mixture and combine well. Fold in the egg whites and combine
well, until there are no more white streaks. Pour the mixture into
the cake pan and bake about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in
the center comes out with a few crumbs.

Cool the cake and then chill.

Whip 2 1/2 cups of ganache until light and fluffy. Smooth a
little of the ganache on top of the chilled cake. Sprinkle crushed
toffee on top of the cake, and then cover the whole thing, top and
sides, with ganache and chill for two hours.

Serve the cake at room temperature.

Ganache: Bring the cream to a boil in a 6-quart pot. When the
cream boils, remove it from the heat immediately and add all the
chocolate at once. Stir with a wire whisk until the chocolate is all
melted. Pour into a bowl, allow to cool at room temperature, cover
with plastic wrap, and chill. You can keep in the refrigerator for a
week or in the freezer for several months.

Toffee: Preheat the oven to 175. Put nuts on a cookie sheet and
place in the oven to keep warm. Coat another cookie tray with
vegetable oil.

Put the sugar, water, corn syrup, and vanilla in a heavy
saucepan and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Wash down the sides of
the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water so that there is no
sugar clinging to the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until it
reaches a boil, continuing to wash down with water. After it has
boiled for one minute, add the butter, stirring often. It is done
when it registers 290 on a candy thermometer and it is the color of a
brown paper bag. Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts. Pour the
mixture onto the oiled sheet and let it cool completely.

from “Special Desserts” by Ann Amernick, Clarkson Potter, publishers