Flourless Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

10 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (broken into pieces)

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter

1/2 cup Sugar (divided into 1/4 ths)

5 Large Eggs (separated)

1/3 cup Finely Ground Almonds (done in a food processor)

2 Tbsp Brandy

Confectioners' Sugar

Whipped Cream (optional)

Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries (optional)

Directions

Preheat over to 300 degrees and grease well a 9 inch spring-foam pan. Line the bottom with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water. When the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool slowly. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl with the electric mixer, beat the butter with 1/4 cup sugar until the mixture is fluffy and almost white. Add the egg yolks and beat for 1 minutes. Add the almonds and brandy and beat for 2 minutes more. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating the whites until they are stiff and shiny. Add cooled melted chocolate to the egg-yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold one-quarter of the chocolate mixture into the egg whites, then gently fold the egg-white mixture back into the rest of the choc mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out covered with a thick, moist (not wet) and crumbly coating. Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes in pan. Loosen edges with a knife, carefully turn the cake upside down onto a plate. Remove the baking parchment. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and raspberries if desired.

Recipe is from "The Jewish Holiday Baker" by Joan Nathan.