A chocolate cloud with four ingredients.

Here is a lovely chocolate souffle cake that requires just four ingredients.  The recipe is from the Gourmet "archives" (February, 2001) and was, for the most part, super simple.  I would encourage you to find the finest quality ingredients (i.e. natural eggs and classy expensive chocolate).  The most annoying thing is the multiple bowls needed, but really that's just an excuse to pull out all your nice ones and enjoy the process.  Actually, the only truly inconvenient bit was having to whip two separate elements in the same mixer -- the second being egg whites, (which means you need a perfectly clean, temperature neutral base to get that task done.)  But I wouldn't let that be a deterrence.  It's a sexy treat that comes together in an elegant way and pairs beautifully with all kinds of sauces or sides.  I love, too, that it's flourless, so all your gluten free friends can indulge, too.  ;)  xxoo


Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
6 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar

To make this cake:

Put a small roasting pan filled halfway with hot water in bottom third of oven (to provide moisture during baking), then preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper.

Melt butter and chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, then remove from heat. Beat together yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, and ribbons form when beater is lifted, about 6 minutes. Beat whites at medium speed with cleaned beaters in another large bowl until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir warm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until combined well. Stir one fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.

Pour batter into springform pan and bake in middle of oven (do not place springform pan in pan of hot water) until a tester inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, about 1 hour (a crust will form and crack on top of cake as it bakes). Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes (cake will "deflate" as it cools). Run a thin knife carefully around edge of cake, then remove side of pan. Cool cake on bottom of pan 30 minutes, then invert onto another rack or plate. Remove bottom of pan, then carefully peel off parchment. Invert cake onto a serving plate.

Recipe, bakers sugar and pretty aqua water glass.

Butter and chocolate combine on the stove.

I like brown eggs, but I know that's psychological.

Combining the sugar and egg yolks to cream.

All creamy and ready to go.

Chocolate and sugary eggs about to meet.

The egg whites folded into the chocolate / creamed egg mixture makes it a true souffle.

Almost there.

Chocolate souffle cake.

Stewed bitter cherries with amaretto liquor makes a yummy and totally winter ish sauce side - but you could do anything.