Published March 1, 1998.
For our ultimate flourless chocolate cake recipe, we wanted a texture somewhere between a substantial marquise au chocolat—that dense, buttery, and just slightly aerated chocolate mousse with a characteristic dry but creamy texture—and a heavy New York-style cheesecake, which requires the mouth to work for just a second before the stuff melts and dissolves with sublime flavor. To achieve this texture in our flourless chocolate cake recipe, we beat whole eggs into a foam and gently folded in bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and strong coffee or liqueur. Then we baked our cake in a water bath at a low temperature, and removed the cake from the oven when it reached 140 degrees.
Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
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