2/3 c. butter
1 c. heavy or whipping cream
Sugar
1 c. unsweetened cocoa
6 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
White Chocolate Glaze (below)
Chocolate Leaves (below)

ABOUT 4 HOURS BEFORE SERVING OR EARLY IN DAY:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom only of 9-inch springform pan. In 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat butter, cream, and 3/4 cup sugar until butter just melts. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa. Freeze mixture, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat eggs, vanilla, and salt just until mixed. Add flour and 3/4 cup sugar. On high speed, beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir about 1/4 of egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture, then fold all of chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes until cake is firm in center. (Cake will be very moist when done; standard tests for doneness cannot be used.) Run thin-bladed knife around edge of cake to loosen from side of pan. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack (cake will fall and leave a deep indentation). Remove sides of pan.

Prepare White Chocolate Glaze; spread over cake. Refrigerate until glaze is firm.

Prepare Chocolate Leaves; use to garnish cake. Makes 16 servings.

WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

In 1-quart saucepan over very low heat, melt 12 oz. white chocolate (or 4 3-oz. Swiss confectioners' bars or 2 6-oz. white baking bars, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and 1/4 cup shortening.

CHOCOLATE LEAVES:

In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate pieces (1 cup) and 4 teaspoons shortening. In another saucepan over very low heat, melt 3 oz. white chocolate and 1 tablespoon shortening.

Rinse and dry 16-20 medium-sized lemon leaves. Spread semi-sweet or white-chocolate mixture on underside of leaves. Refrigerate until firm. Peel each leaf from chocolate. Repeat with remaining chocolate.