Flourless Chocolate Cake

We made this the other day for a friend who has a gluten allergy expecting it to be just OK, but we all thought it was fabulous and went back for seconds. It got together very easily as well. I used half bittersweet chocolate chips and half semisweet chocolate chips because that is what I had and it was great. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (I always use salted and can't tell the difference), plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.
In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.
Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Bran Muffins

Jennie was just asking me about mom's bran muffin recipe when I came across this one on my computer. It very well may have been the one mom used. That's the problem with mom's recipes---we never know which she used and how she tweaked it. So, here's this one. I can't vouch for it because I've never tried it, and I don't know if it really makes that many muffins, but that's what is written :)

Bran Muffins
Dorothy Hawkes

1 c shortening or margarine
1 ½ tsp salt
2 ½ c sugar
4 eggs unbeaten
2 c boiling water
1 quart buttermilk
6 c bran buds cereal (?)
5 c sifted flour
5 tsp baking soda

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, liquids, and dry ingredients. Add nuts raisins and dates if desired. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. I can be stored in the refrigerator for 6 weeks and used as needed. If stored, add nuts, raisins, dates, etc.. at time of baking. Makes 130! “_