Elizabeth David's Flourless Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat over to 300° F. and butter an 8-inch springform pan.
2. In a heavy saucepan over low heat melt 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon each brewed espresso (or any ver strong coffee) and brandy.
3. Add 6 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup ground almonds (I never bother to blanch the almonds but stick them in the blender skin and all) and heat the mixture until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Beat 3 large egg yolks until they are lemon colored and stir them into the chocolate mixture.
5. Whip 3 large egg whites until they are just stiff and fold them into the chocolate mixture.
6. Turn the batter into the pan and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. The cake will have some cracks on top and a tester will not come out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a rack and remove the side of the pan.

[I originally got this recipe out of Gourmet magazine. I like to sprinkle the top with powdered sugar or cocoa powder to make it look pretty]