Categories: Desserts 
      Yield: 8 servings 
  
      3 tb Brandy 
    1/2 c  Golden raisins 
     12 oz Semisweet chocolate 
      7 oz Unsalted butter 
      5    Eggs; separated 
      1 lb Puff pastry 
      2 c  Sugar 
     16    Cream puffs, filled 
           -(with pastry cream) 
      2 c  Whipping cream 
  
  To plump raisins, heat brandy and raisins over low heat. Set aside to soak. 
  Chop 9 ounces chocolate in small pieces. Melt with butter in top of double 
  boiler over barely simmering water. When melted, remove immediately and 
  whisk in egg yolks. Add plumped raisins. Beat egg whites until soft peaks 
  form. Fold into chocolate-raisin mixture. Cover and chill 3 to 4 hours or 
  overnight. Roll puff pastry into 12-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. 
  Pierce with fork. Let rest 25 minutes. Place on baking sheet and bake at 
  450F until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Caramelize sugar in heavy 
  skillet until golden brown. Do not overbrown. Remove immediately from heat. 
  Using fork, quickly dip one half of each cream puff into caramel and place 
  on buttered parchment paper. When caramel has set, dip uncoated half in 
  caramel. Cool. Place caramel-coated cream puffs around puff pastry. Fill 
  center with chilled chocolate filling. Melt remaining 3 ounces chocolate. 
  Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold melted chocolate into half of 
  whipped cream. Set aside. Spoon remaining half of whipped cream into pastry 
  bag fitted with a large round tube. Pipe dome-shaped balls in rows over 
  chocolate filling, leaving spaces between rows. Repeat, using chocolate 
  whipped cream, filling in spaces between rows of white whipped cream to 
  create stripes. 
  Makes one 12-inch cake