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1
Preheat the oven to 325u00b0F (160u00b0C).
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2
Blend the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
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3
Put the 6 egg yolks in a very large mixing bowl and beat until they turn a pale lemony color. Beat in the sugar and continue beating until very thick.
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4
Beat in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the water, vanilla and Amaretto if using. Scrape down the sides as necessary.
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5
With perfectly clean beaters, beat the egg whites with either the cream of tartar or a drop or two of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a few grains of salt (to stabilize the whites) until stiff peaks form (you should be able to turn the bowl over and they won't budge.
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6
Using a spatula, gently fold in about a quarter or a third of the whites into the cake batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites in an additional two or three additions until all the whites are folded in and it is well blended (no huge chunks of whites remaining).
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7
Carefully pour the batter into the ungreased tube pan, gently shake the pan back and forth once or twice to make sure the batter is even in the pan, then bake for 55 - 60 minutes until done. (My old oven took 60 minutes, my new oven took 55). To tell when it is done, open the oven and gently press the top of the cake with a finger or two. If it feels or sounds airy or - trying to figure out how to describe a feeling or sound - like pssssffttt rather than firm like a marshmallow, let it go for another couple of minutes. Got it?
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8
Cool inverted for maybe 15 minutes before turning upright and easing out of the tube pan. Very carefully (it is a delicate cake) slide a thin metal spatula in up and down movements all around to loosen the sides then push the center tube with the cake up and out of the outside ring. Allow to cool completely. Then carefully, using the spatula, loosen the bottom and around the tube and have someone else help you flip the cake over onto your two hands, the other person must quickly loosen and lift the center tube up and out, place the serving plate onto the bottom of the cake and flip it back upright.
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9
In a large, heavy saucepan, stir together the whole egg, the egg yolk, the sugar and the cornstarch until thick, smooth and creamy. Set aside on an unused burner near where you will be heating the milk.
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10
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk with the coffee and the salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat. If you used ground coffee beans, then quickly strain the hot milk through a fine sieve. Whisking the egg mixture without stopping, add a ladleful or two of the hot coffee-milk to the larger saucepan to heat the egg mixture without cooking the eggs. Add the rest of the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk.
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11
Stir in the finely chopped chocolate until melted and blended.
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12
Place this saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 4 to 6 minutes until the pudding is thickens and just starts to boil. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and quickly strain the pudding into a large bowl. Stir in the vanilla.
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13
Divide the pudding into 4 to 6 pudding bowls (I got 5 but should've made each portion smaller and really divided the pudding into 6 bowls as it is very dark and rich). Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. If not serving after this initial chilling, then cover with plastic wrap.
