Queen of Sheba

Reine de Saba. A French classic almond and chocolate cake with a rich and creamy, silky smooth texture topped with chocolate glazing and almond slices. A delicious coffee treat.


It has been a while now since my last post, but it is really not easy to blog, study and work at the same time. In addition I have also been trying to redecorate my room for quite a while now, with still no success. Blogging needs time. A lot of time actually, and time is what I am running out of these days, or maybe for the last few months. But despite having no time at all, I have been able to bake a lot for some strange reason. Maybe baking does not need any time, it is done before you know it and then you realize it has taken your whole day. But this is how it is and it tells what your preferances really are. I have a loads of pictures and recipes waiting to be posted up and I have summer vacation from my studies so I will try to atleast blog once a week to keep the track, but no promises as working is not less tiring.

So, for about two and half week ago I finally gave this delicious chocolate cake a try. It was the month of May, almost the mid-dates and of course it had to be French. This cake is called "Reine de Saba" or Queen of Sheba and I have no idea how this cake connects to the Queen of Saba, but it is for sure a majestic cake. I had seen this cake for a while, but never really dared to try until this weekend I suddenly decided to make it and bring it to my sister's house were this cake was enjoyed with cold coffee.

This cake is Julia Child's version of the world famous chocolate cake and resembles a lot like the French chocolate cake, but has an addition of ground almonds and a different preparing method. The cake is glazed with chocolate icing and decorated with sliced almonds all around the cake. The cake is so simple too look at, yet there is something so elegant about it. It is amazing how some ivory almond slices can beautify the dark brown surface.

I loved the cake! It just fitted my taste buds so perfectly. So admirable. I even liked it more than the French chocolate cake I made a while ago and I am wondering why on earth I have not tried it out earlier! It was delicious; rich in taste and creamy in texture. The next day we had some guests and I served this cake, and I think I could hear one of them saying that they usually do not like chocolate cake, but this was an exception (I was in another room, so I am not sure, but I heard something like this and it was only one half piece left of the cake when they left, so yes). This recipe is by Julia Child and have a more complicated process, but there are recipes out there which are straight forward. However, if you have decided to try it out, then I highly recommend this recipe by Julia Child. It is absolutely worth a litte effort and time.

A cake worth a queen? Definitely!


Makes about 8-10 servings

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 tbsp coffee, diluted
120 g chocolate, dark
100 g butter
100 g sugar
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
50 g almonds, ground
2 drops almond extract (optional)
50 g all-purpose flour

Butter and flour an round spring form, about 22 cm
Pre-heat oven at 170 C

1. Melt the chocolate and diluted coffee over hot water bath, set aside

2. Whisk the egg yolks together, set aside

3. Meanwhile cream the butter and sugar until light, creamy and fluffy, then add in the whisked egg yolks

4. Blend well (you want a creamy smooth texture)

5. Have the egg whites in a separate and clean medium sized bowl, add in one tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt

6. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks

7. Stir in the melted chocolate using a rubber spatula

8. Fold in finely ground almonds using a spatula

9. Immediately fold in 1/4 of the whisked egg whites to add volum to the batter

10. Sift in flour and egg whites alternatively in three sessions blending well after each

11. Nice and silky batter

12. Pour the batter in prepared form

Bake in the lower part of oven at 170 C for about 20 minutes or until a pin inserted comes out clean from the edge and oily from the middle (you want it to be a little wobbly in middle)

Glazing

75 g chocolate, dark.
30 g butter
1 tbsp coffee, diluted
15-20 almond flakes / sliced almonds for decorating

1. Blanch almonds and slice them in halves or just use almonds with their skin on and cut them in halves lengthwise
2. Melt the chocolate and diluted coffee over hot water bath
3. Add in butter and stir well
4. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes
5. Have the melted chocolate bowl over the ice water (to cool down the chocolate mixture)
and stir until the consistency becomes thick and nicely smooth to spread over the cake
6. Spread the chocolate icing evenly on the cooled cake, around and on the sides
7. Press in one almond slice (with the white side out)slightly tilted all around the sides of the cake

Let set in the refrigerator preferably overnight or atleast 4 hours (as most of the cakes, this cake also improves taste the next day)

14 Mai, Trois ans and let me end this post with a quote..

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending".
~ Maria Robinson

Love..

in one slice <3

Delicious..

Reine de Saba