I have even made this gluten free by omitting the 3/4 cup of flour and adding that amount to the amount of ground almonds. I also use strong room temp coffee in place of rum in both the cake and ganache. Coffee and chocolate couple perfectly. I serve this cake at my family's annual Julia Child birthday celebration every August 15.
Sharing my color photos of Julia's La Reine de Saba (en francais). Only 1.5 inches high. Delish!
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| Voila! |
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| Before ganache |
Video about 30 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8clrnFM3Ys
Prep 8 inch pan butter and flour (I use removable bottom pan) preheat oven to 350.
Cake:
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 4 ounces of a bar
2 tablespoons of dark rum (I use strong coffee)
1 stick soft unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar pinch of salt for egg whites near start
2 tablespoons granulated sugar added to egg whites when nearly done
1/3 cup ground unsalted almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup cake flour (I use all purpose flour)
Method:
Melt chocolate and rum and wait till room temperature before adding soft butter, sugar, and almond extract, add dry ingredients. Lastly fold in egg whites that have been whipped toward end add the cream of tartar and pinch of salt. They should be peaked not dry from over whipping. Fold them into creamed ingredients. Add to prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes. DO NOT over bake. Middle will be moist as shown in Julia's video. Cool well before applying this ganache topping.
Ganache: Prepare while cake bakes
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 3 ounces of a bar
1 1/2 tablespoon rum (I use coffee)
6 tablespoons unsalted soft butter
Almonds for decoration - whole or sliced unsalted
After melting chocolate and rum, whip in soft butter to add shine and thickening to consistency. Add to cooled cake to avoid melting. Decorate with more almonds.
This cake is decadent and delish! Can be frozen to serve in future.
Ingredients from, The French Chef Cookbook, by Julia Child, published April 15, 1968, Alfred A. Knopf, page 285.
