1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. Scotch whiskey
14 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 c. water
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 eggs, separated
1 1/3 c. sugar
9 tbsp. cake flour
1 1/3 c. finely ground blanched almonds
Pinch of salt

ICING:

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 c. heavy cream

Soak the raisins overnight in the whiskey. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12 inch cake pan, line bottom with waxed paper, butter and flour paper.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the water. Stir in the butter bit by bit until mixture is smooth. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy. Stir into the chocolate. Add the flour and almonds, then the raisins and whiskey. Mix together gently. Beat the egg whites with salt until stiff, but not dry. Fold by thirds into the chocolate mixture, taking care to deflate the mixture as little as possible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for approximately 25 minutes. The cake should be moist in the center, but just beginning to shrink from the sides of the pan. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the cream, whisking until smooth. If too thin, cool slightly over ice. Pour over cake, smoothing with a spatula.