Flourless Chocolate Cake

12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar and/or cocoa powder, for dusting
Serving suggestion: Really Vanilly Whipped Cream, recipe follows, or ice creamPreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 2-inch spring form pan.

Put the chocolate, butter, and salt in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a standing or handheld mixer until light and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs until evenly combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out wet but not gooey, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

When ready to serve remove ring from spring form mold. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

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Really Vanilly Whipped cream:
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy or whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugarBeat the cream and vanilla in a chilled non-reactive bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer just until they hold a loose peak. (Lift the beater from the cream and look at the shape of the peak at the end of the whisk; it should hold a lazy curve.) Sift the sugar over the cream and continue to beat just until it holds a soft peak. Take care not to over beat the cream or it will be look curdy. Serve, or refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups, about 10 servings