• 21 oz. dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids)
• 3½ sticks butter
• 4 extra-large eggs
• ⅔ cup sugar
• sour cream or Ice cream, to serve (optional)

a removable-bottomed cake pan, 10 inches diameter, lined with parchment paper and buttered

Break the chocolate into pieces and put them in a saucepan. Add the butter and melt gently over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Let cool.

Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until three times the original volume. Add one-quarter of the melted chocolate mixture to the bowl and, using a plastic spatula, mix gently until thoroughly Incorporated. Add the remaining melted chocolate and fold in gently until well mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 8 minutes. The cake will still be slightly soft to the touch, not firm. Don’t be tempted to cook it for any longer than this. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Serve cold with a dollop of sour cream or a scoop of your favorite ice cream, if you like.