Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 1 by Julia Child
Makes 8 servings.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Tips: Good elegant dessert. Rich, serve small slices
Ingredients
Preparation
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons rum or strong coffee (see note 1)
4 ounces softened butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup sugar
3 whole eggs, separated
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup pulverized blanched almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sifted cake flour, returned to sifter
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 8 inch in diameter and 1 1/2 inch deep round cake pan. Melt the chocolate over almost simmering water. Add the rum or coffee and blend.
2. Beat the egg whites and pinch of salt in mixer bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Unless you have a second mixer bowl, transfer egg whites to a bowl and set aside.
3. In mixer bowl, cream 4 ounces of butter and 2/3 cup sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended.
4. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the pulverized almonds, and almond extract. Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift in one third of the flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated.
5. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily.
6. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for about 30 minutes or so; apply frosting when cake is warm to the touch so it will slowly spread and smooth out.
7. Chocolate Icing: Stir the chocolate and rum or coffee in the saucepan over the hot water until the chocolate has melted into a very smooth cream. Remove saucepan from hot water, and beat the butter into the chocolate, a tablespoon at a time., Then beat over cold water until chocolate mixture is cool and of spreading consistency. At once spread it over your cake with the spatula or knife. If frosting melts to much over cake, refrigerate for few minutes to set, smooth with a knife while it still soft.
8. Press ground almonds to the side of the cake. Place almond slivers to form a flower design on the top with a half maraschino cherry for center.
NOTES : 1) Coffee flavor preferred at home.
CHOCOLATE ICING:
1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 tablespoon rum or strong coffee (see note 1)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup ground almonds, to decorate sides
Few almond slivers & 1 glaced cherry
Chocolate Coffee
Reine De Saba
Chocolate and Almond cake
