Bill’s Flourless Chocolate Port Wine Cake
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makes one 9-inch cake

12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 – 3 cups Port wine
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chopped
8 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with parchment. Wrap outside of springform with one sheet of heavy-duty foil to prevent leakage into waterbath. Place all chocolate in large bowl. Place over a pan of simmering water to melt. Put wine in nonreactive pan. Reduce on stovetop to 1 cup. Put butter and brown sugar into a medium saucepan, place over low heat to melt, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add to chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and reduced Port wine.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until center of cake is set and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour. Remove pan from water and allow to cool for an hour or so. Chill cake for 4 hours or more.

Remove sides from springform pan. Peel side parchment away. Turn cake onto cooling rack; remove pan bottom and parchment. Invert onto platter.

To slice, run a thin bladed knife under hot water, wipe dry and slice. Repeat each time. Cake will be very dense, more like fudge than cake. Cutting cake into 16 pieces provides ample servings. Some people may want to share – it’s very rich!

Serve with a nice glass of Port and thin slices of sharp Cheddar.