Gather together 10 to 12 2-inch-high cake rings. Cut strips of parchment paper 1 inch wider than the rings. Brush both sides of parchment strips with clarified butter. Fit inside of cake rings. Coat inside of rings with cocoa powder and set aside on a sheet pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt extra-bitter chocolate over double boiler. Whisk softened butter into melted chocolate. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and whisk in egg yolks, 1 at a time. Sift flours together and fold into chocolate mixture.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks and add confectioners' sugar. Whisk 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions.

Pipe a 1/2-inch layer of cake batter into the bottom of each cocoa-coated cake ring. Freeze until cake batter becomes stiff. Approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Put a 1-inch piece semi-sweet chocolate in each cake ring atop the stiffened cake batter. Pipe in enough cake batter to cover the chocolate piece. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Afterwards, allow cake to rest for one minute. Serve with whipped cream and Bay leaf sauce.

Boil sugar and water. Put in vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise and scraped, and bay leaves into boiling mixture. Allow to infuse for at least on hour, (off of heat) and then, remove bean and leaves. Keep sauce refrigerated.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups sauce