Chocolate Mousse Cake

Yield: 12 servings

For the meringue

3 egg whites

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the mousse

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

5 eggs, separated

2 sticks (1 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

Note: The meringue should be made a day in advance.

1. For the meringue: Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (see step 4 if your oven does not get that low). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Very slowly, add the powdered sugar and continue whisking until doubled in volume.

3. Place the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. On the baking sheet, working from the center outward, pipe a continuous coil of meringue to a diameter of 7 inches (it helps to measure out the 7 inches in advance). Bake for 10 hours, until crisp and dry. Skip to step 5.

4. If you cannot heat your oven to as low as 150 degrees, preheat it to 250 degrees. Make the meringue as directed. Put it into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 200 degrees. Bake 1½ hours, then turn off the heat but leave the meringue in the oven overnight.

5. To make the mousse: Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

6. Melt the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks one at a time. Set the mixture aside and keep warm.

7. In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks (you can also do this by hand). With a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, one-third of the whipped whites at a time.

8. Place the mousse in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe the mixture into the cake pan. Fill the pan half full. Lay the meringue disc on top and gently press into place. Pipe the remaining chocolate mixture into the pan, allowing it to fill in around the sides of the meringue. Chill for 2 hours.

9. To serve, run a warm paring knife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the cake and invert it onto a serving tray. Carefully remove the parchment paper and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Per serving: 314 calories; 23g fat; 14g saturated fat; 123mg cholesterol; 5g protein; 26g carbohydrate; 23g sugar; 1g fiber; 46mg sodium; 19mg calcium.