A dish from Julia Child
Child's chocolate and almond cake, the 'queen of Sheba' she made a signature of The French Chef.
Serves 8
By Julia Child
Child called this Reine de Saba and made it on The French Chef so often that it became shorthand for her approach: a cake that is really a lesson in folding, and in pulling a pan from the oven while the center is still just barely set.
Dairy & Eggs
Pantry / Durable
Spices & Seasoning
Other
Melt the chocolate with the rum or coffee over low heat and let it cool to lukewarm.
Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the melted chocolate and the almond flour.
Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks. Stir a quarter of them into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest along with the sifted cake flour.
Turn the batter into a buttered and floured 8-inch pan, scatter the sliced almonds over the top, and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until the center is barely set.
Cool in the pan for ten minutes before unmolding. The middle will sink a little, which is expected. Serve with whipped cream.
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. View a published recipe at NYT Cooking (opens in a new tab)
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