Reine de Saba – Queen of Sheba Cake
Queen of Sheba is a French cake created by the famous Julia Child in honor of the mysterious Queen of Sheba. Although few things are known about the queen of Sheba, she is believed to have been one of the most powerful women of the Biblical era, the founder of the Ethiopian dynasty and a strong ally to king Solomon of Israel. It is said that the queen wouldn’t leave the house without being covered in gold and jewels and this cake manages to deliver just that – richness and decadence. It is indeed a cake fit for a queen!
The cake is a mix of chocolate and almonds, topped with a rich, luscious chocolate glaze. It has a delicate almond aroma and it is fluffy, moist and so so rich! I love that it’s easy to make and doesn’t require spending too much time in the kitchen.. it’s perfect for those days your sweet tooth goes crazy and your chocolate cravings are strong, but you don’t want to spend ages making a cake to satisfy them.
Reteta in limba romana aici: Tort Queen of Sheba
Reine de Saba – Queen of Sheba Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 120 g dark chocolate (chopped)
- 110 g butter (softened)
- 130 g white sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 3 eggs (separated)
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 g almonds (peeled and roasted)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 70 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Chocolate glaze:
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 100 g dark chocolate (chopped)
- 20 g butter
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- Sliced almonds to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C).
- Pulse the almonds in a food processor until fine.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder.
- Line a round cake pan (18-20cm diameter) with baking paper and place aside.
- Melt the chocolate over a hot water bath or in the microwave and let it cool slightly.
- Mix the butter with sugar until creamy, at least 1 minute.
- Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time, then add the dark rum, followed by the melted and cooled chocolate.
- Fold in the ground almonds and sifted flour.
- Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix until flossy and stiff.
- Gradually fold the meringue into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- When done, remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan. Carefully place the cake on a serving plate.
Chocolate glaze:
- Bring the cream to the boiling point in a small saucepan.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate. Mix until melted.
- Add the butter and rum and mix until smooth and shiny.
- Let the glaze cool completely.
- Spread the glaze over the top and sides of the cake with an offset spatula.
- Decorate the sides of the cake with sliced almonds.
Notes
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