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Chocolate Gateau II (D, KLP, TNT)
Source: NY Times magazine from 20 years ago
Serves: 12 or more

1/2 pound unsweetened chocolate, 8 squares
1/2 pound sweet butter, cut in cubes; plus butter for greasing pan
8 egg yolks, pasteurized eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
5 egg whites, regular eggs
1 tablespoon powdered cocoa
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Put chocolate squares and butter in a 4-cup glass measure and microwave for 5 minutes at 40% power. Stop every 2 minutes to stir. Alternately, use a double boiler over simmering water, not boiling, and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

Combine egg yolks and sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Beat until light and lemon colored. Add the chocolate to the egg mixture stirring to blend thoroughly. Take off about 1/4 of the batter and save for later.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add half the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated. Fold in the other half.

Butter the sides and bottom of an 8" springform pan. Pour in chocolate mixture. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (in a convection oven, cake will bake in about 45 minutes.) Remove from oven and place on rack for 10 minutes; then remove from pan. Let cool thoroughly.

The center of the cake will deflate as it cools forming a shallow indentation. Carefully spoon the reserved uncooked chocolate mix in the center and smooth around the sides of the cake. Put cocoa in a sieve and carefully sprinkle over top. Add the confectioners' sugar (if using) and sprinkle over cake top.

This cake freezes beautifully. Leave off the cocoa and sugar if freezing, and add to the cake after defrosting.

Poster's Notes:
I stopped making my favorite chocolate dessert because part of it uses raw eggs. This week in the supermarket, I found pasteurized eggs in the shell. I used them for a Caesar salad dressing and they were fine. I tried out my cake, but the egg whites wouldn't whip. I revised the recipe to use the egg yolks in the uncooked portion of the cake and regular egg whites in the cooked portion.

Posted by Judith Sobel

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A