INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

For Filling: Scald cream in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
Remove pan from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and  smooth.
Pour filling into large bowl. Refrigerate until filling is  very thick
but still spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2  hours.  For
Syrup: Bring sugar, water and chopped prunes to boil in heavy  small
saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil  1
minute. Remove from heat. Add Cognac. Cover and let mixture steep 1
hour. Strain, reserving prunes and syrup separately.  For Cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350F.  Butter 11x17
1/2-inch cookie sheet with 1-inch-high sides. Line  cookie sheet with
parchment. Butter parchment and dust with flour,  tapping out excess.
Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer,  cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Gradually beat  in
sugar (mixture will be grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well
after each addition. Mix in melted unsweetened chocolate and prunes
reserved from syrup. Stir in flour mixture alternately with
buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and scraping
down sides of bowl. Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading  evenly.
Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about  25
minutes.  Dust parchment sheet with cocoa powder. Run knife around
edges of pan  to loosen cake. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn
cake out  onto prepared parchment sheet. Peel parchment off cake
bottom. Cool  completely.  Trim 1/2 inch off each short edge of cake.
Cut remainder of cake into  three 5x10 1/2-inch rectangles (there will
be some cake left over).  Place 1 cake layer onto 4 1/2x10-inch
cardboard rectangle. Brush cake  with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 3/4
cup filling over. Place second  cake layer atop filling. Brush with 3
tablespoons syrup. Spread 3/4  cup filling over. Top with third cake
layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons  syrup. Spread 1 cup filling over top
and sides of cake to coat. Chill  cake until coating is firm, 45
minutes.  Heat remaining filling in heavy small saucepan over low heat.
Add 1/4  cup butter and whisk until butter melts and mixture is smooth.
Chill  until glaze is slightly thickened but still pourable, stirring
occasionally, about 15 minutes.  Transfer cake on cardboard base to
rack set over large piece of foil.  Pour glaze over top and sides of
cake, smoothing sides only. Let stand  Melt milk chocolate in heavy
small saucepan over low heat, stirring  constantly. Pour chocolate into
small parchment cone. Cut off tip to  form small opening. Pipe
chocolate lines 1/2 inch apart crosswise  over top of cake. Starting at
1 short edge 3/4 inch from long edge,  draw tip of small sharp knife
through chocolate lines to second short  edge. Starting at second short
edge 3/4 inch from first line, draw  knife tip through lines in
opposite direction. Continue drawing knife  tip through chocolate
lines, spacing drawn lines 3/4 inch apart and  reversing direction each
time, creating chevron pattern.  Transfer cake to platter. Spoon all
glaze left on foil into pastry bag  continued in part 2

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
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Calories: 6520
Calories From Fat: 2817
Total Fat: 324.4g
Cholesterol: 1345.6mg
Sodium: 3100.5mg
Potassium: 2738.9mg
Carbohydrates: 892.6g
Fiber: 39.8g
Sugar: 568.3g
Protein: 84.8g