Craig Claiborne’s Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake

Preheat oven to 250 F. Grease an 8″ or 9″ springform pan with butter.

Put the chocolate squares and butter in the top pan of a double boiler with simmering water in the bottom pan (if you don’t have a double boiler fit a stainless steel bowl inside a saucepan or stock pot filled with about an inch of simmering water). Keep water at a simmer and stir the chocolate and butter until melted.

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Mix until the eggs are light and lemon colored. Gradually add the chocolate sauce into the egg mixture, stirring to blend thoroughly. Set aside.

Beat the whites until stiff. Add half the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and beat. Fold in the remaining whites.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and fifteen minutes. When the cake is done, transfer the pan to a rack. Let the cake stand for 10 minutes then remove the rim from the springform pan. Let cake cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar and raspberries.

Recipe adapted from The New York Times Menu Cook Book by Craig Claiborne.