Total Annihilation by Chocolate

(Image nicked off the internet, as created by some amazing chef!)

Got friends coming round for dinner tonight. He says, "I love all things chocolate..." Cool, I think, I'll make some kind of chocolate dessert... I scrounge through my recipe books and come up with "Chocolate Nemesis" from the River Cafe blue cookbook... Of course before I start making it I do a quick hoof around the internet to see if anyone else has tried to make it... Of course they have - and most, it seems, have failed. I love a challenge. Perhaps you will too...

River Cafe Chocolate Nemesis
"The best chocolate cake ever"...

Serves 10 - 12

675 g (1.1 /2 lb) bitter-sweet chocolate broken into pieces
10 whole eggs
575 g (1 lb, 5 oz) caster sugar
450 g (1 lb) unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C/325 degrees F/Gas 3. Line a 20 x 5 cm (12 x 2 in) cake tin with greaseproof paper, then grease and flour it.

Beat the eggs with a third of the sugar until the volume quadruples - this will take at least 10 minutes in an electric mixer.

Heat the remaining sugar in a small pan with 250 ml (8 fl oz) water until the sugar has completely dissolved to a syrup.

Place the chocolate and butter in the hot syrup and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Add the warm syrup to the eggs and continue to beat, rather more gently, until completely combined - about 20 seconds, no more. Pour into cake tin and place in a bain-marie of hot water. It is essential, if the cake is to cook evenly, that the water comes up to the rim of the tin. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until set. Test by placing the flat of your hand gently on the surface.

Leave to cool in the tin before turning out.

My tips:

• The cake (which is fundamentally a baked chocolate mousse) wasn't anywhere near cooked after 30 minutes. I left mine in for approximately 55 minutes - checking every five minutes to see how it was doing. Frankly, it could probably have done with longer because I suspect it is less of a cake and still more of a gloopy pudding - but it's sitting proud in its plate and at least hasn't slushed all over the place - though the goddess knows what will happen when I finally cut into it...
• Don't use a spring form tin - it will take on water from the bain-marie!
• Do not lick out the mixing bowls. You will feel thoroughly ill.
• Don't eat this if you have a liver problem. I have had one tiny morsel to try... and have been annihilated by chocolate!

Finally, I understand what death by chocolate is all about! Honestly, this cake is luscious but should come with a health warning: "Eat too much and die!" And now I've still got to make a pot roast chicken and prepare some bruschetta...
Don't tell anyone, but I will be passing on both starters and dessert...