Chocolate Almond Flourless Torte

10 ounces good imported bittersweet chocolate -- broken

into piec es 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine -- at

room tempe rature 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling

5 large eggs -- separated

1/3 cup finely ground almonds (done in a food

-- processor) 2 tablespoons kosher for passover cognac or dark rum

whipped cream fresh raspberries -- optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease well a 9-inch springform pan and line bo ttom with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. When the cho colate is melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool slo wly.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat the butter with 1/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture is fluffy and almost white. Add egg yolks and beat for 1 minute. Add th e almonds and cognac and beat 2 minutes more.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually a dding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating the whites until they are s tiff and shiny.

Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold in 1/4 of this chocolate mixture into the egg whites; then gradually fold the egg whites back into the rest of the chocolate mixture , taking care not to deflate the batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out covered with a thic k, moist, not wet, and crumby coating. Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan.

Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn the cake out onto a plate. Rem ove the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the sugar. Serve at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and raspberries on the side.