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1
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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2
Line a 15 x 10 pan with waxed paper and butter the paper.
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3
Mix grated chocolate into ground nuts; set aside.
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4
Beat 8 egg whites with cream of tartar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until they form soft peaks.
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5
Add 1/2 cup sugar a little at a time, beating until white just hold stiff peaks.
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6
Set aside.
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7
Cream together 5 of the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and vanilla.
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8
Add nut mixture.
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9
Fold in one third of whites to lighten batter.
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10
Then fold batter into remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
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11
Pour batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake about 20=25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
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12
Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then run a thin sharp knife between cake and side of pan.
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13
Remove side of pan and cool cake completely.
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14
Invert cake onto rack and run knife between cake and bottom of pan to remove bottom, then flip onto a plate.
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15
When fully cool, cover and refrigerate so that the cake can firm up for a day or so.
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16
Make the Bittersweet Mocha Icing, as follows.
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17
Melt chocolate and coffee in a double boiler over very low heat; simmer over very low heat, stirring constantly until very thick (about 10-15 minutes).
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18
Let this mixture cool to room temperature.
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19
Cream 3 yolks, sugar and vanilla; pour into cooled chocolate mixture.
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20
Add butter and beat until thick.
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21
Spread over top of cooled cake.
