• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and arrange rack on middle bottom. Generously butter 6 ramekins.
• Coat bottom and sides thoroughly with sugar, tapping out excess. For the best rise, make sure there is sugar covering all the butter on the sides of the dish.
• In a medium bowl, melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Let cool only slightly (it should still be warm), then temper in egg yolks and salt.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture is fluffy and holds very soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites hold stiff peaks and look glossy.
• Gently whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining whites in two additions, then transfer batter to prepared dishes. Rub thumb around the inside edge of the dish to create about a ¼-inch space between the dish and the soufflé mixture
• Transfer dish to baking sheet, place in the oven, and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until soufflé is puffed and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 to 35 minutes. (Do not open oven door during first 20 minutes.) Bake it a little less for a runnier soufflé and a little more for a firmer soufflé.
• Serve immediately with whipped cream.

Melt Chocolate

• Gently melt the chocolate in a bain marie over a saucepan of simmering water. DO NOT LET EVEN A DROP OF WATER GET INTO CHOCOLATE.
• Using a whisk, stir the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time, only adding the next when the previous has been fully incorporated. Continue cooking and stirring until slightly thickened – about five minutes. Remove from heat and continue mixing until cool.

Make Meringue

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt until they start to form peaks. Beating all the while, gradually add the sugar. Continue to beat until the whites are shiny and hold medium-firm peaks.

Make Whipped cream

• Beat the heavy cream until it forms medium soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. For best volume, make sure the bowl and whisk is spotlessly clean and VERY cold.

Combine

• Spoon about one-quarter of the whites over the melted chocolate and stir with the whisk until the mixture is almost smooth. (Stirring in a bit of the whites lightens the chocolate and makes the next step easier.) Spoon the rest of the whites over the chocolate and, using a large rubber spatula, very carefully fold in the whites.
• When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream.

Assemble

• Spoon the mousse into individual bowls. Chill for at least one hour.
• Top with soft, lightly whipped heavy cream or creme fraiche. Garnish with fresh berries, chocolate shavings, or crushed candied nuts.

For cake:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan; dust with sugar. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt, then flour. Pour batter into pan. Bake until cake just rises in center (tester inserted into center will not come out clean), about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover; chill while making mousse.

For mousse:

• Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk yolks, 1/4 cup cream and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into bowl with melted butter. Whisk constantly over simmering water until thermometer registers 150°F, about 6 minutes (mixture may appear broken). Remove from over water; add chocolate and stir to melt. Set aside. Beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg white mixture into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Pour mousse over cake in pan; smooth top. Chill torte until mousse is set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• Run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen torte. Release pan sides. Transfer torte to platter. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream over torte. Top whipped cream with raspberries. Brush red currant jelly mixture over raspberries. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Garnish with currants, if desired.

Make the Apricot Glaze

• Bring the preserves and rum to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook, stirring often, until the last drops that cling to the spoon are very sticky and reluctant to leave the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Use warm.

Make the Chocolate Glaze

• In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan (no larger than 2 quarts, or the mixture will reduce too rapidly and burn before it reaches the correct temperature) over high heat, bring the sugar, water, and chocolate to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234°F., about 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir to cool and thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Use immediately. When pouring, do not scrape the pan.

Make the torte

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Dust the sides of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.
• In the top part of a double boiler over very hot, but not simmering, water, or in a microwave at medium power, melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat or the oven, and let stand, stirring often, until cool.
• Beat the butter in the bowl of a eavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle blade on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 inute. On low speed, beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Return the speed to medium-high and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla.
• Beat the egg whites and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer on high speed just until they form soft, shiny peaks. Do not overbeat. Stir about one fourth of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, leaving a few visible wisps of whites. Sift half of the flour over the chocolate mixture, and fold in with a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining flour.
• Spread evenly in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. (The cake will dome in the center.) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the paper and reinvert on another rack to turn right side up. Cool completely.

Assemble

• Using a long serrated knife, trim the top of the cake to make it level. Cut the cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place one cake layer on an 8-inch cardboard round. Brush the top of the cake layer with the apricot glaze. Place the second cake layer on top and brush again. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze. Transfer the cake to a wire rack placed over a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed paper. Let cool until the glaze is set.
• Make the chocolate glaze (it must be freshly made and warm). Pour all of the warm chocolate glaze on top of the cake. Using a metal offset spatula, gently smooth the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides, being sure that the glaze completely coats the cake (patch any bare spots with the spatula and the icing that has dripped). Cool until the glaze is barely set, then transfer the cake to a serving plate. Refrigerate until the glaze is completely set, at least 1 hour. Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

Serve

• Slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water. Serve with a large dollop of whipped cream on the side.

• Preheat the oven to 450°. Butter and lightly flour four 6-ounce ramekins. Tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.
• In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed until thickened and pale.
• Whisk the chocolate until smooth. Quickly fold it into the egg mixture along with the flour. Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and bake for 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft.
• Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Serve immediately.

For the cake:

• Melt together the 150g of chocolate and the butter. Set aside to cool slightly. In a bowl, whisk the brown, eggs and vanilla until light and pale.
• Mix together the almond meal, baking powder, salt and grated chocolate.
• Gently fold the cooled chocolate butter mixture into the egg mixture and then fold in the dry ingredients.
• Place in a greased 20cm springform and bake at 175°C for around 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the truffle mousse:

• lightly whip the cream and set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water and glucose in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Soak the gelatine in ice cold water and once bloomed, dissolve in the hot syrup. Pour over the chocolate and mix to a smooth ganache. Lastly, fold in the whipped cream.
• Place mixture on top of cooled cake and place in freezer.

To finish:

• mix the marzipan or icing with the cocoa powder to the desired chocolate colour. Roll out thinly and loosely place over the cake while still frozen. Lightly brush with a little oil for shine and dust with gold dust.
• Note: good quality marzipan gives this cake a delicious almond flavour but can easily be substituted with icing or modelling chocolate from cake decorating shops.