Happy 11th birthday to Riegl Palate! Today’s post is number 613 on my site. It’s hard to believe that for the last 11 years, I have posted a new recipe every week and never missed one. It continues to be so much fun.

It has become tradition for me to share a chocolate cake to mark this occasion. This year, I bring you Gâteau Reine de Saba or Queen of Sheba Cake. Being of French origin (although I cannot speak the language), I opted for the French title. The French have a fondness for naming food after famous people. With this in mind, the Queen of Sheba (mentioned in the Book of Kings in the Old Testament of the Bible) likely would have been a dark, rich beauty. This description lends itself nicely to this cake.

The story goes that a Gâteau Reine de Saba was the first French cake that Julia Child ever ate. Since she loved it so much she included a recipe for it in her first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (originally published in 1961). 

Various versions of this cake contain a combination of cake flour and almond flour. This version is all almond flour which makes it perfect for those who follow a gluten-free or wheat-free diet. It is also a lovely addition to a Passover table as it contains no flour.

Chocolate is the queen (pun intended) of the show here. It’s imperative that you use a good quality chocolate for both the cake and the glaze. I used Guittard’s 70% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Bars. 

A little cake goes a long way. You can easily get 12 slices out of this cake. As such I was able to serve it at a dinner party with two other couples and share it again the next night with my parents. Some say the cake is even better the next day. Everyone loved it. 

A huge thank you to all who read, comment on, share and make recipes from Riegl Palate – it means so much to me. It truly makes my day when family and friends reach out to say that they’ve made or are intending to make one of my recipes. I look forward to many more amazing culinary experiences with family and friends.

Cheers to the art of good eating and to many more years of Riegl Palate!

P.S.  If you aren’t already following Riegl Palate on social media please consider doing so. Check out Riegl Palate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Gateau Reine de Saba

 

Gâteau Reine de Saba
5.0 from 2 reviews
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Recipe type: Dessert
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Cake
  • 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, more to grease the pan
  • 6 ounces bittersweet (70%) chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum (see Notes)
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1-3/4 cups almond flour (see Notes)
Glaze
  • 2 ounces bittersweet (70%) chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature and chopped into small pieces
  • Garnish with 4 shaved almonds
Instructions
Make Cake:
  1. Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the side wall with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, combine 12 tablespoons butter, 6 ounces chocolate, vanilla extract, almond extract and rum. Melt over low heat, then transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
  3. Using an electric mixer (stand or handheld), whisk egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add ½ cup sugar until thick and glossy. Set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together egg yolks with remaining ½ cup sugar until thick.
  5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
  6. Add ground almonds and mix well with rubber spatula.
  7. Whisk in a dollop of egg whites to lighten the mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the rest of egg whites, keeping batter airy.
  8. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until the cake is dry on top and a bit gooey in center, about 30 to 40 minutes. (After 30 minutes, check the center of the cake with a toothpick. If the center seems very wet, continue baking.) Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out a bit moist (but not too wet).
  9. Cool cake on a rack for 20 minutes, then remove the side of the pan. Allow to continue cooling. The top of the cake may crack as it cools, but glaze will cover cracking (so no need to worry!).
Make Glaze:
  1. In a medium microwave-proof bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and to ensure that it;s smooth.
  2. Add the butter and stir until the butter has melted and the glaze is smooth. If the butter isn’t melting, heat for another 15 seconds in the microwave and stir until smooth.
  3. Place the cooled cake on a serving plate. Pour the glaze over the cake. Smooth the glaze across the top of the cake first, giving time for the chocolate to somewhat set before smoothing down the sides. As each minute passes, the chocolate will set more and more, making it less runny.
  4. Gently press shaved almonds on top of the cake. Alternatively, use more shaved almonds to decorate the top or sides of the cake as you wish.
  5. This cake can be made a day in advance (some say it’s even better the next day). Store it covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
* I used Guittard’s 70% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Bars.
* You can use strong dark coffee in place of rum if you don’t want to cook with alcohol.
* Almond flour is also called almond meal. You can also finely grind almonds in a food processor so that the finished product measures 1-3/4 cups.
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Source:  Variation on recipes from New York Times Cooking (for cake) and Mon Petit Four (for glaze)