Julia Childs Boca Negra Cake Food

JULIA CHILD'S REINE DE SABA (QUEEN OF SHEBA) CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set the oven rack in lower middle level.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate in the rum or coffee. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cut butter into.
• pieces and cream it. When soft and fluffy, add sugar and beat 1 minute. Beat in egg yolks until well blended.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and salt and continue beating until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks are formed. Blend melted chocolate and coffee or rum into yolk mixture, then add almonds and almond extract.
• Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate using a rubber spatula. Scoop the rest of the whites over chocolate and, alternating with sprinkles of flour, rapidly and delicately fold in the egg whites. Turn batter into buttered and floured 8-by-1 1/2-inch round cake pan, tilting it in all directions up to the rim all around. Set in preheated oven. Bake 25 minutes.
• Cake is done when puffed to the top and a toothpick inserted 2 to 3 inches from edge comes out clean. The center should move slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Remove pan to a rack and let cool 15 minutes. Unmold onto rack. Let cool 2 hours before storing or icing.

BOCA NEGRA (BOURBON CHOCOLATE CAKE)

Steps:

• Heat the cream in a saucepan until small bubbles form around the edge. Meanwhile, put the white chocolate in a food processor or in a blender container. Pour the cream over the chocolate; process until completely smooth. Add the Bourbon; taste and add up to a tablespoon more if you like.
• Pour into a container with a tight-fitting lid; refrigerate 8 hours. (The cream can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for up to a month; thaw overnight in refrigerator.).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan; line the bottom with buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the cake pan in a shallow roasting pan; set aside.
• For the cake, heat the sugar and Bourbon to a full boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook to a syrup, about 2 minutes.
• Place the chocolate in a food processor; pour the syrup into the work bowl. Process until the mixture is completely blended, about 12 seconds.
• Add the butter, in pieces, with the machine running.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Add the flour. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
• Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake until the top is dry, about 30 minutes. Remove the cake pan from its water bath; wipe the cake pan dry.
• Cover the top of the cake with a sheet of plastic wrap. Invert the cake onto a flat plate, peel off the parchment.
• Quickly but gently invert again onto a serving platter; remove the plastic. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the chilled white chocolate cream.