45 oz Semisweet chocolate

2 1/2 oz Unsweetened chocolate

1 1/8 c Heavy cream

3/4 c Granulated sugar

2 ts Pure vanilla extract

15 Eggs

15 tb Plus 1 ts unsalted butter

10 tb Cocoa

8 tb Plus 1 ts all-purpose flour

1/2 c Water

5 tb Instant coffee

2 tb Sour cream

1 tb Cornstarch

2 ts Pure vanilla extract

2 ts Dark rum

3/4 ts Salt

1/2 ts Baking powder

1/8 ts Cream of tartar

Total weight of ingredients: about 10 pounds, 2.1/2oz. Total cost of ingredients: it may be less expensive to visit the Trellis! For organizational & shopping convenience the above is a compilation of all the ingredients needed to produce Death By Chocolate The Chefs Touch! You will not find the recipe for Death by Chocolate in a culinary lexicon. It is a contemporary concoction, an amalgam of cocoa meringue, chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, chocolate brownie & mocha mousse, structured in an extraordinary, albeit sound manner. A fair warning must be issued that this is a time & money consuming recipe. It is best to start work on this cake very early in the day if it is to be served that evening. Death by Chocolate may be held for two to three days under refrigeration, but it is at its best when served within 24 hours of completion. The preparation in one day of all the chocolate components of this cake might seem overwhelming. To prepare in advance, spread the production out over a period of three days. Day 1: Prepare the chocolate brownie & keep refrigerated until cake assembly. Day 2: Bake the cocoa meringue & store in a dry place at room temperature (between 68 & 78 degrees). Prepare the chocolate rum sauce, refrigerate until two hours before service, then bring to room temperature. Day 3: Prepare the chocolate mousse, mocha mousse & ganache. Assemble cake. Use the 9" bottom of the springform pan to trace the circle onto parchment paper. Be certain that the meringue completely fills the traced circle. If the meringue is not large enough, the sides of the cake will be uneven. Do not be concerned if the meringue slightly overlaps the circle.; any excess may be trimmed off after the meringue has been baked. Baked meringues are very brittle; handle with care. Use a very sharp serrated knife to trim the meringue; otherwise the meringue will break apart. If the mocha mousse is prepared several hours in advance of the assembly of the cake, it should be refrigerated until 1 to 1.1/2 hours before assembly, at which time it should be allowed to temper at room temperature (if it is too cold it will be too difficult to spread evenly over the delicate mocha meringue). If the ganache solidifies, place the bowl containing the ganache in a pan of water & stir until the texture is correct for pouring. Use several toothpicks inserted in the sides of the chocolate brownie as guides to accurately halve the brownie horizontally. The preparations may also be completed using a hand held mixer, but preparation time may increase slightly.