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Lightly coat the bottom and sides of 2 10x15-inch baking sheets with the melted butter.
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2
Line each sheet with parchment paper, then lightly coat the parchment paper with more melted butter.
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Set aside.
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4
Preheat the oven to 325F.
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In the top of a double boiler that is set over medium heat, place the remainder of the 1/2 pound butter and the 6-1/2 oz.
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semisweet chocolate.
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Tightly cover with plastic wrap and allow to heat for 10-12 minutes.
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Remove from heat, uncover and stir until smooth.
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Hold at room temperature.
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Place the egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
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Beat on high until the mixture is lemon-colored and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
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Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for another 2 minutes.
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In another dry bowl, using the whip attachment, beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry.
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Using a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.
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Add 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture stirring to incorporate.
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Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until completely incorporated, with no white streaks remaining.
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Divide the mixture between the 2 prepared pans, smoothing the batter.
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18
Bake on the top and middle shelves in the oven for 20-22 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
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20
While the cakes are cooling, toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in the 350F oven for 10-15 minutes.
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(They will begin to give off a toasted scent when ready.
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Watch carefully, as they can burn easily.)
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Place the hot nuts in a large, clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to skin.
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Allow the nuts to cool, then place them in a food processor and chop them to 1/8-inch pieces.
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Invert 1 sheet of cake onto a large cutting board (larger than the pan).Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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Hold the remaining cake at room temperature until needed.
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27
To prepare the ganache, heat the heavy cream, 4 tbsp.
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butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium-sized, heavy saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
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Bring the mixture to a boil.
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Place 2 pounds of chocolate in amedium stainless steel bowl.
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Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand 6-7 minutes.
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Stir until smooth.
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Combine 3 cups ganache with the chopped hazelnuts.
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Hold this mixture at room temperature to use for filling.
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Remove 1 more cup of ganache and place it in a bowl in the refrigerator (to be used to decorate the diamonds).
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Keep the remaining ganache at room temperature until needed.
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37
To make the raspberry filling, puree the rasperries and 2 tbsp.
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sugar in a food processor for 12-15 seconds.
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Strain the puree in a fine mesh sieve over a stainless steel bowl.
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Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate unitl needed.
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To assemble, remove the cake from the refrigerator.
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Using a cake spatula, spread the raspberry puree over the cake, to the edges.
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43
Spread the hazelnut ganache over the raspberry filling, to the edges.
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44
Invert the other cake layer on top of the ganache covered layer.
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45
Remove the parchment paper from the second layer and press the layers together to hold them.
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Place the entire cake in the freezer for 1 hour.Remove the cake from the freezer.
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47
Using a very sharp serrated knife, cut away the uneven edges of the cake so it will measure 9x13-1/2-inches.
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Use a serrated knife to cut the cake width wise into 9 1-1/2-inch strips.
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Trim 1 diagonally cut piece from each end of the strips, then cut the strip diagonally 3 times to form 4 evenly sized diamonds from each strip.
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Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet with sides (a jelly roll pan isperfect).
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Place 9-12 diamonds on the rack.
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Using the room temperature ganache, pour 2 tbsp.
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ganache over each diamond, coating the tops andsides.
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Using a large fork, remove the coated diamonds from the rack and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Place the sheet in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 minutes.
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Scrape the ganache from the rack and pan and return it to the bowl of room temperature ganache.
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57
Warm the ganache over a double boiler to the right pouring consistency.
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58
Repeat the coating process with the remaining diamonds.
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59
Transfer the refrigerated ganache to a pastry bag that has been fitted with a medium-sized star tip.
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60
Decorate each diamond with a ganache star.
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Refrigerate the diamonds for at least 1 hour before serving.
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Allow the diamonds to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
