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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Queen of Sheba Cake


This is a variation of Julia Child's cake, which I always serve during Passover. I first had it in a housing co-op that I lived in during the late 1970's.
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
8 Tbs. butter
1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. almond flour
1/4 c. flour (matzah cake flour if making during Passover)
Melt chocolate in microwave (about 30-60 seconds). Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, baking powder, almond flour, flour and mix. Add melted chocolate and mix. Add eggs and mix until well incorporated. Place in 8" round cake pan with straight sides. Bake 25 min. at 350 degrees.
When cool, freeze cake.
Cover with Chocolate Ganache:
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, ground to a fine powder in the food processor.
1 c. cream, heated for 1 minute in microwave. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted. You can strain it if there are lumps.
Pour over frozen cake and use off set spatula to spread evenly, cover sides. The frozen cake will help set the ganache. Garnish as desired--I like to put nuts on top, so people know the cake contains them, for those with allergies.
This can be served immediately, or frozen. This recipe multiplies by three easily in the mixing bowl, and I usually make six. The ganache recipe is enough for 2 cakes.

Here is a story of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon:
When the Queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon's great wisdom, the palace he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters, she was breathless.
"The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true," she told the king. "Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes, I have discovered that they were not telling me the half. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. Happy are your men, happy these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the Lord has made you king to carry out judgment and justice."
Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

1 comment:

  1. Hello, who is the artist of painting please?

    ReplyDelete