Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake

When I was a kid, I remember hearing, 'Who do you think you are, The Queen of Sheba?'  At the time, I had no idea who this Sheba Queen was but I knew I'd better get down off my high horse and straighten up--FAST.  I was smart enough to figure out being Queen might have its privileges since She apparently could do whatever She wanted to.  Hmmm...maybe I could grow up and be a Queen of Something someday.

Well, there really was a Queen of Sheba and whether she was a spoiled, snotty bi witch is beside the point.  It seems almost everyone at some time or place proclaimed her their Queen; King Solomon, the Romans, Ethiopia, the Middle East and lord knows who else.  This girl got around and must have been worn out with all that throne-sitting and queenly chore-doing clear back to the 10th century BC.  One thing for sure is she must have loved chocolate or Madame Julia would never have named this perfect cake after her.  I really like to think it was Cleopatra who floated around on her Pleasure Barge (for real) with all her boytoys licking chocolate off her fingers before she stuck that snake up her neck.

The first thing you want to do is allow some time to do this right and when you decide to make this fabulous creation, buy the best ingredients you can (you should always do that--save your coupons and bargains for the routine stuff like groceries, dog food, etc.).  Get out your big girl appliances (KitchenAid if you have one, electric hand mixer if you don't) and mise en place--mess in place--because you don't want to get started and realize you don't have eggs or butter.

So, as Julia Child said, "We’re going to make the best chocolate cake you ever put in your mouth!"  Let's do it and don't be afraid...if I can make this, you can, too.  It's a bit of effort--but isn't anything that's worth it? 

Reine de Saba: Queen of Sheba Cake

“A very special cake of almonds, butter, and chocolate that is somewhat moist in the center – it literally melts in the mouth." --Julia

Note: This is the spongecake type where beaten egg whites are folded into the batter. You want to be sure here that the melted chocolate is still warm and smooth so that the egg whites can be folded in easily. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 8" round pan--buttered then floured (put the butter on your fingers, grease the pan, put a couple TBSP flour in pan, shake around and throw out what doesn't stick--just a light coating--you can use cocoa powder instead of flour)
• 3 oz sweet baking chocolate*
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate*
• 2 TBSP rum, Kahlua or dark brewed coffee
• 1 stick room temperature unsalted butter (or if salted, do not add salt)
• 1/2 c sugar
• 3 egg yolks and the whites, separated--absolutely perfectly separated...no yellow in the white and eggs must be room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/3 c almonds, ground fine and 1/2 c sliced for decorating cake
• 2 More TBSP sugar
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 c sifted CAKE FLOUR--very important--go buy a box of Swans Down or Softasilk--and in a sifter set on wax paper, sift the flour into a small bowl

*you can actually use 2/3c semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the sweet and unsweetened chocolate

In a medium sized saucepan, fill about 2-3" water and bring just to a simmer.  Put the chocolate chips (or break up the chocolate pieces) in a smaller saucepan, add rum or coffee.  Remove hot water pan from heat, place smaller saucepan with tightly-fitted lid in the hot water for about 5 minutes.  It should melt and be very smooth.  If not, reheat the water, remove from heat and put the pan back in, stirring until the chocolate is smooth and shiny.

Have two mixing bowls at hand--one medium large for beating the egg whites and a larger one for beating butter, sugar and egg yolks and final batter mixing.

Cut the butter into pieces and using an electric handheld mixer, beat it until creamy, soft and fluffy.  Add the sugar and beat for 1 minute, then beat in the egg yolks.  Set aside while you beat the egg whites.

 IN A COMPLETELY CLEAN, DRY BOWL AND WITH PERFECTLY CLEAN BEATERS, empty egg whites into large mixing bowl and beat on low speed until foamy about two minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar.  Increase the speed to fast until the eggs form soft peaks.  Gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff shiny peaks form--they will hold their shape like tall, curly mountains.

Immediately, by hand with a rubber spatula, blend in the melted chocolate into the YELLOWISH yoke/butter/sugar mixture NOT THE EGG WHITES, then add the ground almonds and extract.  Blend, then gently stir in a quarter of the egg whites into this mixture scooping straight down into the chocolate and scooping straigt back up over and over with a tablespoon or two of flour.  Do not beat the ingredients--the air of the beaten egg whites causes the cake to rise when cooking.  Continue adding egg whites and flour until blended.

Pour batter into pan, tilting the batter in all directions so it runs up to the rim all around and put in preheated oven, middle rack for approximately 25 minutes.  The cake is done when it has puffed to the top of the pan and a toothpick 2-3" from edge comes out clean.  The center should move slightly when the pan is shaken.  When done, remove and place on cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Place another rack on top of cake and while holding bottom rack, flip cake onto rack.  Remove pan then flip back over so top of cake is upright.   Let cool completely for two hours before icing.

 

Glacage au Chocolat (Chocolate-Butter Icing)

• 1/3 cup (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons dark rum or brewed coffee
• 5 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Repeat melting chocolate method as used above for cake
2. Take chocolate pan out of the hot water and beat in the butter using a wooden spoon, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Set the bowl of chocolate over a bowl filled with ice water or place in fridge. Let cool to spreading consistency.
4. Using a small spatula, spread the icing over your cake.
5. Finish with slivered almonds placed around edge or cover the top with almonds or powdered sugar.

Merde alors!--call the maid to clean up the mess you just made in the kitchen.  Congratulate yourself--you just made a French dessert!