Chocolate Mousse Cake

Preheat over to 350° F and put the kettle on to boil.

Line the inside of the springform pan with aluminum foil, making sure you press the foil well into the sides and bottom of the pan so that it forms a smooth surface. This will prevent water getting into the cake when its cooked in its water bath.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave of double boiler, and let it cool. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until very thick and pale, as creamy as mayonnaise: the mixture should fall in ribbons when you lift up the whisk. Stir in the vanilla and salt, and then the cooled chocolate mixture. I know its a bit gross, but I love this uncooked mixture so I recommend you have a little spoonful now :-)

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, the lighten the chocolate mixture with a briskly beaten dollop of whites before gently folding the rest of the mixture in.

Pour the cake batter into the foiled lined spring-form, which you have placed inside a large roasting pan. Add water from the recently boiled kettle to come about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan and carefully put the roasting pan into the oven.

Cook for 50 minutes - 1 hour. The inside of the cake will be damp and mousse like, but the top should look cooked and dry. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack before releasing it from the pan. Dust with icing sugar if you want, and serve with either vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche and maybe some rasberries or strawberries.

Enjoy!