You will need a double-boiler pot and a spring form pan to make this cake.  A spring form pan has a bottom that pops out when the spring on the side of the pan is released.

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 7 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
• 1 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 10-12 oz baking chocolate or chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate)

Separate the eggs, one at a time using a cup and two bowls.  Crack the egg lightly and separate allow the white to flow into the cup.  Add the yolk to one bowl, discard the shells and then transfer the cup of egg white to the other bowl.  Do this for each egg.  Usually, you will have at least one egg that doesn’t separate well and some yolk gets into the cup you are using to separate the egg.  Throw that away and get a fresh egg.  It is okay if some of the whites get in the yolk bowl, but don’t let any yolk get into the bowl of whites or the whites won’t whip up to their proper height and your cake will look more like fudge.

To the bowl of separated egg whites, add 1 cup of liquid egg whites.  Blend the yolks in their bowl with a wire whisk.  Set the egg bowls aside for now and work on the chocolate.

Prepare the double-boiler pot by placing 1  inch of water in the bottom pot (touch the bottom of the pot with a finger, leave it in place and add tap water until it reaches the first knuckle of that finger to measure one inch.

Place the shallow pot liner over the water pot and turn the heat up to high (9-10 on a scale of 0 to 10).  Add the butter to the shallow pan.  When it has melted completely, add the chocolate walk away.  You will be tempted to stir the chocolate as it melts, but don’t do it.  Let it work on its own until there are no more lumps in the chocolate, then stir.  Turn off the heat and remove the shallow pan from the water pan using pot holders.  Allow the chocolate to cool slightly while you whip the egg whites.

Pour the combined bowl of egg whites into a mix master bowl and whip on high for 2 minutes.  Add cream of tartar and whip on high for 2 more minutes.  Continue whipping on high and add the sugar in a slow, steady stream.  Continue whipping the egg whites until you have a sturdy meringue (stiff peaks form when you slap the surface of the whipped egg whites with the flat blade of a knife).

Back to the egg yolks and chocolate, using the wire whisk, slowly and steadily beat the egg yolks into the hot chocolate mixture.  Fold the meringue carefully into the chocolate mixture, don’t mix much, just fold enough to combine and do not use beaters to combine.  Use a spatula or wooden spoon.  The puffy meringue is the only thing that will give your cake height.  If you mix them too much, they will begin breaking down and you will have a thin, flat cake.

Thoroughly grease and flour your spring form pan, and also cut a circle of parchment paper to fit on the spring form pan’s bottom.  Spoon your cake batter into the spring form pan, place it on a flat cookie sheet and bake 45 minutes at 275 degrees F.  Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.  Run a knife blade around the inside edge, between the cake and pan.  The cake will fall some as it cools.  When the cake is completely cool, remove the spring form sides and serve.

Excellent as is or with whipped cream and berries!  Adjust the flavorsof the cake by combining plain chocolate chips with mint or peanut butter chips.