Ingredients:

• 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
  
  
• 3 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt or Tobler
  
  
• 6 large, double amaretti (Italian macaroons available in specialty stores and some supermarkets; look for the Saronno brand)
  
  
• 3/4 cup sliced or julienned blanched almonds
  
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
  
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  
• Cocoa or confectioners' sugar (optional)
  
  
• Heavy cream, lightly whipped, or premium-quality vanilla or coffee ice cream

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper, and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tapout the excelss. Melt the chocolates in the top of a double broiler over hot water or in a bowl in the microwave; set aside.

2. Place the amaretti and almonds n a food processor and pulse several times until the mixture is evenly ground. Turn out onto a sheet of waxed paper and reserve. Put the butter, sugar, and eggs into the work bowl and process until the mixture is satiny smooth and no longer grainy, about 3 minutes. Stop to scrape the bowl occasionally to ensure that the batter is properly blended. Pour in the reserved amaretti-almond powder and the melted chocolate. Pulse just until the mixture is well-combined.

3. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes. The cake will dome slightly and the top will look dry and, perhaps, cracked. Cool the cake on a rack for 30 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan and turn out the cake. Peel off the paper, invert, and cool right-side up on the rack. The cake is only about 1 inch high, but it packs a lot of taste.

SERVING:
This is at its best at room temperature. Dust the top with cocoa or confectioner's sugar, if desired, and cut into very thin slices (it's richer than it looks). Finish each plate with a small scoop of ice cream or spoonful of unsweetened, lightly whipped heavy cream.

STORING:
Wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep for three days at room temperature; wrapped airtight it can be frozen for 1 month.