Flourless Chocolate Nut Cake

Ingredients

Cake

10 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

1/2 cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips

heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (4 5/8 ounces) granulated sugar, to mix with the egg yolks

2 cups (8 ounces) diced pecans, finely ground; or 2 cups (5 ounces) pecan meal

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar, to mix with the egg whites

Glaze

1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips

1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) butter

1 teaspoon espresso powder

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) heavy cream

Directions

1) Lightly grease a 10" tube pan or angel food pan. For best results, cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan, and grease the paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2) Separate the room-temperature eggs, putting the whites and yolks in separate large bowls.

3) Melt the two chocolates together, stirring till smooth, and set aside.

4) Beat the egg yolks till smooth and lemon-yellow. Add the salt and 2/3 cup sugar, and beat again till thickened and lightened in color.

5) Stir in the melted chocolate.

6) Stir in the nuts. They should be processed as fine as possible; they'll probably be a bit pasty.

7) Beat the egg whites and vanilla till foamy.

8) With the beater going, sprinkle in the 1/4 cup sugar, beating till soft peaks form.

9) With the mixer at low speed, gradually fold the whites into the yolk mixture, mixing gently till no streaks show.

10) Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

11) Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, till a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven, and set it on a rack. Loosen the edges, and let it cool in the pan for 1 hour. Loosen the edges again.

12) Invert the cake onto the rack, and prepare the glaze.

13) To make the glaze, combine all of the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan, and heat till the chips are very soft. Stir till smooth.

14) If the glaze isn't pourable, add more cream to thin it out. Pour over the cake. It's OK if the cake is still warm when you glaze it.

Yield: 10" cake, about 16 servings.