CHOCOLATE CRACKED EARTH (FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
• Put the chocolate and butter into the top of a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl) and heat over (but not touching) about 1-inch of simmering water until melted.
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
• Whisk a little of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrambling from the heat of the chocolate; then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.
• Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is set, the top starts to crack and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan.
• While the cake is cooking, make the whipped cream.
• Whip the cream until it becomes light and fluffy.
• Serve at room temperature dusted with confectioners' and the whipped cream.