VALENTINE HEART

Serves about 12

3/4 cup (2 ounces) ground pecans
1/3 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons water
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon rum, optional
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pint fresh raspberries, optional

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour an 8-inch heart-shaped pan and line with waxed paper or parchment.
In a small bowl, mix nuts and flour. Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat. Blend in water until smooth.
Transfer warm chocolate mixture to a large bowl, stir in sugar. Cool five minutes, blend in yolks, and rum, then stir in nut-flour mixture.
In an electric mixer, whip egg whites with cream of tartar to soft, white peaks.
Stir-fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon batter into pan and smooth evenly.
Bake 25 minutes, or until soft in center. Chocolate firms as it cools. Remove from oven, cool 15 minutes, invert on rack. Peel off paper.

Glaze:
Combine the 3 ingredients in a bowl and melt over a double. Stir occasionally until mixture is smooth, shiny and liquid.
Place cool cake on cardboard over a baking pan. Pour glaze onto cake, spread glaze over top and sides with a metal spatula.
If desired, decorate the edges of the cake with fresh raspberries.