Torta viennese di compleanno alla fragola*

Ingredients

• 12 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, shaved or crumbled into small pieces and divided into two 6 oz portions
• 4 oz butter
• 5 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
• 4 oz sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces heavy cream
• 13 oz jar Bonne Maman strawberry preserves

Directions

1. Melt 6 oz chocolate and 3 oz butter in a double boiler, stirring until combined, and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the egg yolks with 1 oz sugar until whipped.
3. Beat the melted chocolate into the yolks until thoroughly combined.
4. To create a merengue, mix egg whites with salt and beat with electrix mixer. As merengue begins to form, add the remaining 3 oz of sugar until thickened and peaks form.
5. Fold the sifted flour into the merengue.
6. Fold the merengue little-by-little into the chocolate mixture.
7. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9" x 12" cake pan, and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a knife inserted in the center emerges clean (at least 15, no more than 40 minutes).
8. For the chocolate shell, melt the remaining 6 oz chocolate and 1 oz butter in a double boiler.
9. Boil cream separately and stir into chocolate mixture, removing from heat.
10. Once glaze has cooled a bit, coat cake liberally.
11. Chill torta for 30 minutes.
12. Puree preserves and spread atop torta as desired.