Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces (1 stick; see note)

18 ounces milk chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

7 eggs

2 tablespoons dark rum or other liqueur

Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with buttered parchment or wax paper. Set into small roasting pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar. Place over medium heat and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve all the sugar crystals. Add butter to pan, continuing to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and swirl pan to submerge chocolate entirely. Let stand 2
minutes, until chocolate is melted.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs with rum in large mixing bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture smooth, then whisk it into egg mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Add warm water to depth of 1 inch to roasting pan. Set pan in oven. Bake on center rack about 1 hour until firm in center. Remove roasting pan from oven and carefully remove cake pan, using wide spatula to lift it out of the larger pan. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 4 to 5 minutes. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill.

To unmold, set pan over low heat for a few seconds to melt butter between pan and paper lining. Insert a small, sharp paring knife between cake and side of pan and run knife around inside of pan to loosen cake. Invert cake onto platter and remove paper. Sprinkle cake lightly with chocolate shavings.

Note: Use real butter or stick margarine. Do not substitute reduced-fat
spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.