3 oz Chocolate, semi-sweet,

           -- melted
      3 oz Chocolate, white, melted

           Cocoa, unsweetened
           Chocolate leaves * (opt)
           -- (garnish)
-------------------------------CHOCOLATE CAKE-------------------------------
      9 lg Eggs, separated, room temp.

      1 tb Rum, dark

    1/4 ts Extract, vanilla

    1/4 ts Cream of Tartar

      8 tb Sugar

     12 oz Chocolate, semi-sweet,

           -- melted
      6 tb Butter, unsalted, melted

      3 tb Cornstarch

      2 tb Cocoa, unsweetened

  2 1/2 oz Amaretti (about 10 Italian

           -- macaroons), finely
           -- ground
------------------------------CHOCOLATE CREAM------------------------------
      4 oz Chocolate, semi-sweet,

           -- melted
    1/2 c  Water, hot

      2 c  Cream, whipping

      2 tb Rum, dark

       * For chocolate leaves, brush melted chocolate on undersides of
  holly or lemon leaves; refrigerate until firm, carefully peel off
  leaves.
  For Cake:
  =========
       Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter and flour 3 9-inch round cake pans.
       Beat yolks until they are pale yellow and form a ribbon when
  beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.  Beat in rum and vanilla.
       Beat whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks.  Add sugar 1
  tablespoon at a time and continue beating until stiff and shiny.
       Stir 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate and butter into yolks until
  well combined.  Gently fold in 1/4 of egg whites to lighten the
  batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
      Sift together cornstarch and cocoa; combine with ground amaretti.,
  Gently fold into the batter.
       Divide batter among prepared pans.  Bake until centers of cakes
  rise and tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in
  pans, then cool completely on wire rack (cakes will fall slightly.)
  For Chocolate Cream:
  ====================
       Whisk together 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate and hot water;
  cool to room temperature.  Whip cream until nearly stiff.  Gently fold
  chocolate mixture and rum into whipped cream.
  To Assemble:
  ============
       Set aside 1/4 of the chocolate cream for decorating the top of
  the cake.  Spread remainder evenly between the 3 layers, stacking them
  neatly, then spread over the reserved cream over the top and sides.
       Measure height of the cake.  On a sheet of parchment or waxed
  paper, spread 3 ounces melted semisweet chocolate into rectangle
  1/16-inch-thick and as wide as the cake is high.  Repeat with melted

  white chocolate on another sheet of parchment.  Refrigerate until
  chocolate is firm but not brittle, about 15 minutes.  Cut chocolate
  crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips.  Refrigerate to refirm chocolate,
  about 15 minutes.
       Carefully arrange strips alternately around edges of cake, gently
  pressing into icing.  Spoon reserved chocolate cream into pastry bag
  fitted with a no.  3 round tip.  Pipe mixture into straight lines atop
  the cake.  Dust lightly with cocoa;' refrigerate.  Garnish with
  chocolate leaves.  Bring to room temperature before serving.
       Source:  New York's Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine
       :  Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland
       :  The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985
       Chef:  Seppi Renggli, The Four Seasons Restaurant, New York
       Owners:  Tom Margittai, and Paul Kovi
       Pastry:  Bruno Comin