Julia Child’s Queen of Sheba – Chocolate and Almond Cake & Win 1 of 2 the Salt Books… plus more!
It’s so gooey, you can literally eat it with a spoon!
No joke! I love my chocolate cake as moist and gooey as a chocolate fondant, and as intense and rich as a chocolate brownie. And this chocolate cake recipe in Julia Child‘s cookbook is just what I am after. So, if you like your chocolate cake fluffy and soft, then this recipe is not for you.
Tonight is one of those nights, I know I want dessert after meal but somehow nothing inspires me at the supermarket. In the end, I picked up a block of butter and went to check out. I am Julie Powell tonight, and I will use Julia Child’s cookbook for the first time.
I have bought Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking vol.1 & 2 last year but they have been sitting in the cupboard untouched ever since. I didn’t even bother to flip it open because inside is so boring! There are just text inside, no pretty photos of delicious food but only a few hand illustrations. It’s true, how many of you buying cookbooks simply because there are pretty photos to look at before deciphering the recipes?
This chocolate and almond cake in the cookbook is also called Reine De Saba – The Queen of Sheba. There is no explanation why the name, but instead a small blurb how Julie Child discovered a new folding mixture technique.
“This extremely good chocolate cake is baked so that its centre remains slightly underdone; overcooked, the cake loses its special creamy quality… Because of its creamy center it needs no filling” – Julia Child.
And Julia was right, this is indeed an extremely good chocolate cake. I didn’t even bother with the chocolate icing as suggested in the recipe, I cut myself a slice of the chocolate cake when is still warm. The luscious, moist, gooey center is simply to die for. I have learned the art of using salt in dessert, and immediately I wanted to pair this delicious chocolate with salt to enhance its flavour even further. I’ve received some Murry River pink salt flakes from the Salt tasting event that I’ve attended early this year, and decided to use it on this cake. Voila! The skeptical ones, you simply have to try it.
I cut myself another slice, wash it down with a cup of Single Origin’s well being tea which is a beautiful blend of alfalfa, spearmint and calendula. I am sitting in front of my computer, checking my blog… the cursor is blinking…
Comment(s) received – Zero.
It’s 3am, switch off computer. Another day, another tomorrow.
[Read further to enter competition]
Reine de Saba - Chocolate and Almond Cake (serve 6 - 8 people) Ingredients 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate melted with 2 tablespoon of rum or coffee 1/4 lb. or 1 stick softened butter 2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used caster sugar) 3 eggs (separated) pinch of salt 1tbsp caster sugar 1/3 cup pulverized almonds 1/4 tsp almond extract 1/2 cup cake flour Method 1. Preheat the oven to 175 degree celcius (350 degrees Fahrenheit), butter and flour a 8 inch springform cake tin. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan over simmering watering; let melt. 2. cream the butter and sugar together until pale yellow and fluffy. 3. beat in the egg yolks one at a time until well blended. 4. beat the egg whites and salt in separate bowl until soft peaks, sprinkle on a tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. 5. use a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds and almond extract. Immediately stir in one fourth of the egg white to lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg white and more flour until all are incorporated. 6. turn the batter into the cake pan, spread the batter all over and well level with a spatula. Put in the oven and bake in middle level for about 25 minutes. 7. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2½ to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a skewer plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and the skewer comes out oily. 8. 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 an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced. 9. (Optional) Try and sprinkle with some sea salt on top before serving.
Win 1 of 2 the Salt Books and Maldon smoked sea salt
If you are intrigued about pairing salt with food especially dessert, perhaps this newly launched The Salt Book is just what you are after. Two of ATFT’s readers will be the lucky winners of The Salt Book and also received a 125gram box of Maldon smoked sea salt.
THE PRIZE (two lucky winners)
1 x The Salt Book (RRP $34.95)
1 x 125g box of Maldon smoked sea salt
Note: Entrants are opened to all readers in ALL COUNTRIES!
HOW TO ENTER
Leave a comment on this post and tell us:
What kind of salt do you normally use at home? On what food? Any different kind of salt you would like to try?
Terms & Conditions 1. Entry will be judged on creativity or entertainment value. 2. Readers may submit one entry per day before closing date. 3. The Salt Book competition closes on Friday 14 May 2010 at 5.30pm AEST. The winner will be announced on Monday 17 May 2010. GOOD LUCK! The Salt Book Your guide to salting wisely and well, with recipes Fritz Gubler & David Glynn, with contributions by Dr Russell Keast Publication: March 2010 Page count: 208 pages Trim size: 246 x 190 mm Photography: colour throughout Format: softcover, with flaps ISBN: 978-0-9804667-3-7 Retail price: AUD$34.99 View a preview chapter (as an ebook): http://salt.realviewtechnologies.com
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
Yum!This cake reminds me of a Swedish kladdkaka I made recently,it was so gooey!
Salts?Love ‘em. I always use sea salt in my cooking,but lately been very keen to start experimenting with all the “gourmet” salts;I’m so glad salt is coming back in trend!Just for the taste (not sure if you can cook with it) I would like to try Cyprus black lava salt!
.-= Maria´s last blog ..Sage and garlic chicken with pearl barley salad =-.
The texture of that cake looks just perfect! I love fleur de sel – I use it on everything! It’s especially good in caramel sauce. I love any type of salt, it’s such a great gourmet ingredient to have at the dinner table.
.-= chocolate shavings´s last blog ..Lime and Ricotta Cheesecake =-.
I use coarse kosher salt at home. I would like to try himalayan pink salt. Thanks for having a giveaway
This sounds incredible! And looks amazing. I love rich chocolate cakes, mmmmm.
I have yet to try a Julia Child recipe so either this or her best brownies will be first! Do you think this is rich enough to be the filling for a chocolate tart?
As for salt, I usually use fine sea salt or coarse sea salt for baking bread (from the Artisan Bread in 5 book) and sometimes iodised salt as my partner always says he doesn’t want to get cretinism, hehe. I’d love to try some smoked salt though…
.-= Zo´s last blog ..A brownie fiasco, some tips for successful baking, and Dorie’s brownies =-.
I use Maldon and Murray River Pink. I love them both. A UK blogger once sent me some Halen Mon, a smoked salt from Wales.
This cake looks delicious Billy.
.-= barbara´s last blog ..Project 365 – Week 15…and Almost Healthy Icecream =-.
I use the Himalayan Pink Salt at home to add to my Subcontinent Curries Recipes. It’s add a nice flavor to my curries in a way that I can not explain in words. The dish is slightly better when I cook with this salt. Plus I put them in beautiful glass jar, it looks so beautiful sitting on my kitchen bench. I never use a smoke sea salt before, so it will be great if I win this prize. I imagine it will be nice for steaks and BBQ.
.-= Aliza Shehzad´s last blog ..Chai – Comforting the Mind, Body and Spirit =-.
Hallelujah … what a gorgeous sounding cake. I have yet to experience the magic of sea salt in cake, but you have convinced me to try. An aunt of mine has kept her copies on MAFC 1& 2 for me in the US. Until I can lay my hands on them, I shall try your recipes. I’ve got a box of Maldon Sea Salt, and now I wish I was an Oz resident! Sigh… would an address work coz I might visit in a couple of months?
This is a beautiful post, with gorgeous photography! I love that I could find it after that tweet on twitter and a lucky viewing on TS! Yay to technology!!
.-= deeba´s last blog ..MACARONS with Matcha Macaron Buttercream Filling for Earth Day … Mac Attack #6 =-.
We use a tiny sprinkle of Fleur de sel, with a dash of good olive oil and freshly cracked pepper on freshly blanched green beans- divine! But every time we use it we refer to it as the ‘special salt’ that was scraped off the seaside rocks by blind french nuns or alternatively dwarfs…i never read the real story of how it was harvested but i like this version the best
I typically use Kosher, on everything. I’d love to try using pink rock salt, it’s so pretty!
.-= Sara Tea´s last blog ..Viva Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake? =-.
Hmm the only salt I use at home is sea salt and iodised salt. I love salt so much, I basically use it on everything, even on Pizzas that I’ve taken away from near by Pizza stores. Would like to try the Himalayan rock salt, supposedly cleanest salt available
That cake looks heavenly. I don’t like chocolate much and I like soft and melts-in-your-mouth kinda thing. But that looks amazing. I especially like the part that it’s creamy on the inside. I might try it one of these days. Thanks!
I just use sea salt for cooking usually, but I have a few recipes that I save my fleur de sel for, like an amazing chocolate cookie recipe…
.-= Laura´s last blog ..chocolate almond thumbprint cookies =-.
This cake looks amazing!
My kinda of chocolate cake… love ‘em heavy!!
I’ve been wanting to get Julia’s books as well.. but no pics.. a little sian ah
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.What kind of salt do you normally use at home? On what food?
- anyone (but usually, it’s fine salt) that is given free to me annually in the hampers, for Chinese cooking, Western cooking, bread making, desserts making, cake making. In short, i use them for everything!
. Any different kind of salt you would like to try?
- Sea salt! Any kind. Coarse, flakes, smoked…. and fleur de sel!
.-= ^cherie´s last blog ..Pumpkin Soup =-.
Haha i had the same feeling when i bought my copy of the book! I always feel so anxious when I make something w/o a drool worthy picture. Yours is drool worthy, can’t wait to try it.
wow wa viwa! that looks awesome!
This cake looks so fabulous! I like it! Thanks for sharing the recipe! I would love to make this at home!
At home I use French grey salt for cooking eg. seasoning soups, casseroles, pasta water. I alternate between Maldon and Murray River Salt as my finishing salt for seasoning delicate things like salads. I have Himalayan Rock salt in my grinder (as it grinds so well) and I keep Fleur de Sel on hand for special occasions or when you must have it for the perfect dish. I also keep a secret mobile Fleur de Sel stash in my handbag. I’m not kidding either. I would love to try the Welsh Vanilla Sea Salt and would use it for my salted cashew & caramel cookie recipe.
i just used plain saxa iodised salt at home but would love to try the Fleur de Sel Vanilla which sounds really interesting. the cake looks wonderful!
.-= Simon Food Favourites´s last blog ..Ben & Jerry’s: Free Cone Day 20 April 1-8 pm, Manly (15 Apr 2010) =-.