Illustration by Michael Toland

Recipe courtesy of chef Wolfgang Puck.

SERVINGS

8 to 12

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

5 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup sugar

Pinch salt

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Unsweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Fresh berries, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a piece of parchment paper, using pan as a guide to cut out paper.

2. Bring a pan of water or bottom of double boiler to boil. Reduce heat to maintain a fair simmer. In top half of double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over but not touching water, melt chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally. Set chocolate-butter mixture aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, put egg yolks and all but 3 tablespoons sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved and yolks are smooth. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in melted chocolate until thoroughly combined.

4. Put egg whites and salt in a clean bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted out. Gradually sprinkle and beat in remaining sugar, and continue to beat until egg whites form stiff but not dry-looking peaks when beaters are lifted out.

5. Stir a dollop of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Then, 1/3 at a time, gently fold chocolate mixture into egg whites just until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan.

6. Bake cake until looks firm and set but a wooden toothpick inserted into center still comes out slightly moist, about 45 minutes. Immediately turn cake out onto cooling rack by using pot holders or oven gloves to hold rack securely on top of pan, and then invert them together and lift off pan. Peel off parchment paper. As cake cools, its center will sink and crack, but do not worry.

7. Before serving, put some confectioners' sugar in a fine-meshed sieve held over cake, and tap sieve to dust cake with sugar. Cut cake into wedges and serve with unsweetened whipped cream or berries.

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