Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9-inch (23-cm) loaf pan and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper.

In a large bowl set pan over simmering water, heat chocolate and butter together just until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in half the sugar, then the egg yolks,and The Sweet Life in Paris 35 flour.

Using an electric mixer, or a whisk, begin whipping the egg whites with salt. Keep whipping them until they start to form soft, droopy, peaks. Gradually whip in the remaining sugar until the whites are smooth and hold their shape when the whisk is lifted.

Use a rubber spatula to fold one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until the mixture is smooth and no visible white streaks remain.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35 minutes, just until the cake feels slightly firm in the center. Do not overbake.

Let the cake cool in the pan before serving.

Taste

Book, using the USDA Nutrition Database

David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.