COTTON CHEESE CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Separate the eggs. Place the whites in a large bowl and keep them in the refrigerator in preparation for the meringue.

2. Break the chocolate into pieces and place it in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water (60C/140F). Add the cream cheese and melt them together. Remove the bowl from the double boiler, add the egg yolks.

3. In a large bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer until firm peaks form (to make a meringue). *If it's thick enough, you can turn the bowl upside down without it sliding out.

4. Add 1/3 of the meringue into the cream cheese batter and blend well with a spatula. Then add the rest of the meringue 1/2 at a time and mix well.

5. Rub some oil/butter on parchment paper to prevent cracking. Line the round cake pan with the parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and drop the pan lightly on the counter to raise the air bubbles out of the batter.

6. Place the cake pan on a baking sheet. Pour some hot water into the baking sheet. Bake at 170C (338F) for 15 minutes, 160C (320F) for 15 minutes, then stop the heat and bake with the remaining heat for 15 minutes.

7. When it is done, place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Brush with apricot jam syrup, add whipped cream and/or dust with powdered sugar if desired.

8. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge before serving! Cake will slightly harden in the fridge, so leave at room temperature for a few minutes before you serve.