Julia Child's Queen of Sheba

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 170 g dark chocolate with a high cocoa content
• 3 tbsp rum
• 115 g butter, soft
• 115 g sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 1 pinch of salt
• 50 g butter
• 50 g ground almonds
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 50 g flour, sifted

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Chocolate almond rum cake

This amount is for a 20 cm springform pan. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Butter and flour the pan. Melt 115 g of dark chocolate with 2 tablespoons of rum in a double boiler. Beat the butter and 115 g of sugar with a hand mixer for a few minutes until creamy. Then add the 3 egg yolks and beat for a few more minutes. In a separate bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Then add 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat briefly again. Using a spatula, combine the melted chocolate with the butter and sugar mixture. Then stir in the almonds and almond extract. Add 1/4 of the beaten egg whites and fold in. When they are almost completely incorporated, add 1/4 of the sifted cake flour and fold in again. Continue until everything is combined. Pour the finished batter into the baking pan and press it slightly up to the sides. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes on the middle rack. The inside of the cake will remain a little moist, but that’s how it should be. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the sides to loosen the edges of the pan. Let cool for 1-2 hours. For the glaze, melt the remaining chocolate with 1 tablespoon of rum in a bain-marie. Then add 50g of butter a spoonful at a time and mix well. Beat over cold water until the glaze becomes thicker but still spreadable. Pour the glaze over the cake and spread it on top and sides. If you like, you can decorate the cake with flaked or chopped almonds.