Flourless chocolate cake
Serves 12 to 16
8 large cold eggs
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup strong coffee
confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.
2. Beat eggs in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm stirring once or twice. Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan and. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust has formed on surface, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature.
