Instructions: 1. To make ganache, chop 2 oz of the chocolate into small pieces and place in small bowl. Pour cream into a small saucepan and heat until bubbles appear around edge. Pour hot cream over chocolate, let stand several minutes, and stir until smooth. Pour ganache into 6 squares of a plastic ice-cube tray. Freeze until solid.

2. Butter six 3-inch metal baking rings and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside.

3. Melt butter and remaining 12 oz chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.

4. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until thick and pale yellow, 5 to 8 minutes. Add chocolate butter mixture and thoroughly combine. Fold in ground almonds.

5. In a separate bowl, beat remaining 4 tablespoons sugar with the egg whites until stiff. Fold into egg yolk-chocolate mixture. Spoon about 3 T of batter into each ring. Remove frozen ganache cubes from freezer; you may need to dip the bottom of the ice tray in hot water to get them out. Place a cube in the center of each ring. Spoon remaining batter into rings, being careful to keep ganache cubes in center and cover them completely. Freeze filled molds until solid, about 1 hour.

6. Heat oven to 375. Take baking sheet from a freezer. Wrap any cakes to be saved and replace in freezer; leave the rest on sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 to 10 minutes. To unmold, cover one hand with a clean dish towel and pick cake up on a spatula with the other. Invert cake into hand, pull off ring, then invert again onto a plate and dust with confectioners sugar, if desired. Serve immediately.

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