Flourless Chocolate Cake

7 oz Scharffenberger bittersweet chocolate
½ lb European unsalted butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt

Put the chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water to melt slowly.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease the sides and bottom of 10” springform pan, line bottom with parchment paper and grease it as well.
Separate eggs – whites in smaller bowl and yolks in larger bowl. Add half of the sugar to the yolks and beat with an electric mixer several minutes until it is pale and thick like custard.
Add the cocoa and salt to the melted chocolate and stir up. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg yolk bowl and fold gently until well blended.
Beat the egg whites with cleaned beaters until they form soft peaks, gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until firm, glossy peaks form.
Add about a quarter of the whites to the chocolate-yolk mixture and gently fold until blended. Carefully fold in the remaining whites, trying to preserve as much volume as possible.
Slide the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, approximately 40 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Run a think knife around the inside of the pan to release the cake, and unlatch an remove the side of the pan.
Let the cake cool completely before cutting; it will be fragile while still warm. As the cake cools, it will collapse like a fallen souflee – that’s fine.

Serve with fresh raspberries and whipped cream, or ice cream.