Instructions: This is impossible! NO it is not, it is wonderful. This cake is for the real chocoholic.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter, and dust with the flour, tapping out any excess.

In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and stir occasionally until smooth and creamy. Remove from the heat.

In another bowl use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks together with the sugar and vanilla until thick, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice, for about 3 minutes. In a third bowl whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff, for about 2 minutes. Slowly and gently fold the chocolate into the yolk mixture, adding just a little chocolate at a time to keep the eggs from scrambling. Fold in the eggs whites.

Pour the batter into the spring form pan, and bake in the center of the oven until spongy, for about 40 minutes. Remove form the oven, remove the spring form ring, and place the cake on a rack to cool completely.

When the cake is cool, prepare the Chocolate Cream Icing.

Chocolate Cream Icing

Ingredients:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Dont let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat. Use immediately or store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Reheat in the top of a double boiler.

To serve, spread the Chocolate Icing over the cakes. Top with whipped cream and serve a small wedge of cake.

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