• 7 oz good semisweet chocolate (45–50% cocoa)
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 4 eggs, separated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir together half the sugar and four yolks; add to melted chocolate concoction.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites; slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold mixture into chocolate. Pour into a greased 9-inch cake pan.

3. Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Cool 30 minutes before removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

Baking Tips:

  • “To make individual servings, substitute nine ramekins or small oven-safe coffee cups and bake 30 minutes.”
  • ”You’ll need a good 10-speed mixer to beat the egg whites into nice stiff peaks that will make the cake light and fluffy—unlike my first attempt, when I used a very old mixer.”