1 1/2 c Walnuts -temperature
1/3 c Flour, all-purpose 14 tb Sugar
8 oz Chocolate, bittersweet or 7 lg Eggs, separated, at room
-semisweet (not unsweetened) -temperature
1/2 c Butter, unsalted, at room Powdered sugar
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F.
Butter a 9″ diameter springform pan with 3″ high sides. Line bottom
with waxed paper. Finely grind the walnuts in a processor and mix
with the flour; set aside. Melt the chocolate in a double boilerover
simmering water until smooth; remove from over the water and cool
slightly.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 7 Tbsp of sugar in a
large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add
yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Continue beating until
smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Mix in ground wanut and flour
mixture.
Using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in another large bowl
until beginning to form soft peaks. Gradually add 7 Tbsp of sugar and
beat to soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whites into chocolate batter to
lighten, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing out the top. Bake until a
tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs
attached, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Run a sharp
knife around the side to loosen the cake; release the pan sides and
coll cake completely. (cake may fall as it cools.) Sift powdered
sugar over the cake before serving.
Yields
10 servings