Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup Scotch whiskey
22 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups sugar
9 tablespoons cake flour
1 1/3 cups finely ground blanched almonds
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
Purple grapes, such as Concord or champagne, for garnish (optional)
Fresh blackberries, for garnish (optional)
Fresh blueberries, for garnish (optional)
Fresh figs, for garnish (optional)
Italian plums, for garnish (optional)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Blue or purple flowers, such as orchids, for garnish (optional)
Casis macarons, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-inch-round cake pan with parchment paper; spray pan and parchment with nonstick cooking spray with flour; set aside.
Place raisins and whisky in a small bowl; cover and let soak overnight. Melt 14 ounces chocolate with 1/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. Add yolk mixture to chocolate mixture along with cake flour, ground almonds, raisins, and their soaking liquid; stir to combine.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt until stiff. Gently fold egg whites, one third at a time, into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared cake pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. Transfer to oven and bake until cake just begins to shrink from sides of the pan, about 25 minutes.
Set a wire rack over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Remove cake from oven and let stand in cake pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cook completely.
In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil over medium heat. Add remaining 8 ounces chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over cooled cake, spreading evenly with a spatula; let stand until set. Garnish with fruits, flowers, and macarons, as desired.
