from: Jean B

Delice au Chocolat

I don't quite know how to categorize this dessert. It's not really a cake, and thus doesn't belong in the cake category…but if you've never found a satisfactory chocolate cake, I'd steer you in this direction.  I started making this cake in 1970, when I was a kid, and this predated all the flourless and sunken chocolate cakes that have now become pretty well known.

2 2/3 c chopped semisweet chocolate (I'd now use Scharffen Berger; if that isn't available, I'd use Valrhona-BUT the
 former has such nice nuances...)
5 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp Brandy or...*
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick plus 2 Tbsp sweet butter, softened (5 oz)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over almost-boiling water on very low heat. Let stand ca 10 minutes, then stir til melted and smooth.

Grease a parchment circle to fit the bottom of a baking pan. (I always used a pretty deep pan that was 8" on the top and ca 6 3/4 inches on the bottom with very slightly sloped sides. Looking at my pan, I think a 7 1/2" springform, ca 3" deep would be fine.)

Place greased side down in pan, and then grease both parchment and pan.

Beat the egg yolks 'til thick. Beat in the brandy, flour, and butter--the last-mentioned ca 1 Tbsp at a time. Add the chocolate and mix gently 'til smooth and homogeneous. (Yes, it will be sort-of melty. Hence I think it's good to get the chocolate melted and let it cool a tad while you are proceeding up to this point.)

Beat the egg whites 'til frothy; add the sugar and proceed to beat 'til stiff and glossy. Fold thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Turn into prepared pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or til center's firm when touched lightly (you just don't want it to be liquid). It won't look done.

As it cools, the delice will become firmer; it will also sink and possibly crack. (I almost threw it away the first time I made it, thinking it was a total disaster!).

Cool thoroughly in pan on rack. Then turn out of pan and invert back onto serving plate. You will probably need to loosen the sides to do this--possibly with a long thin knife. If you are not using a springform, you can also dip the pan briefly into hot
water to get it out.

Chill thoroughly. (You can also freeze this indefinitely and eat it directly or almost directly from the freezer if you are so inclined, but try that later.) Believe me, this is VERY rich. If you serve it with whipped cream, that will seem refreshing
by comparison.

 *I experimented with various liqueurs and also liked using VERY strong coffee.  I also made a chocolate-mint version, usually by inserting a toothpick into very strong peppermint oil and then stirring it around in the butter mixture a bit.... I also liked using extremely strong coffee instead of the brandy. Jean B. via RAM