Flourless Chocolate Cake with Orange Liqueur

Directions

Chilling time: Several hours or overnight.

1. Put chocolate and butter into top of double boiler. Cook and stir over simmering water until melted.

Stir in ¾ cup of the sugar.

Continue stirring until sugar is almost dissolved.

1. Beat egg yolks in large mixer until light. Beat in a little of the warm chocolate until well combined.

Continue adding chocolate until fully combined.

Return chocolate mixture to top of double boiler; cook, stirring until slightly thickened.

Do not boil. Remove from heat.

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter and flour 12-inch springform pan.

Line sides of pan with a strip of buttered wax paper.

1. Beat egg whites in large mixer bowl until foamy. Beat in remaining ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture holds stiff peaks.

2. Stir liqueur and vanilla into chocolate mixture, mixing well. With a rubber spatula, scrape chocolate mixture over egg whites.

Fold together gently, but thoroughly.

1. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake until set and top is crusty, about 1½ hours.

Cool on wire rack to room temperature.

Refrigerate until cold. Loosen edge of cake from sides of pan.

Remove sides of pan. Put cake onto platter.

Sprinkle heavily with confectioners’ sugar. Top will be brittle.