Julia Child's Cake

REINE DE SABA
(Chocolate and Almond Cake)

CAKE:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
Pinch salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted with 2 tablespoons rum OR brewed coffee
1/3 cup finely pulverized (ground) almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sifted cake flour, returned to sifter

CHOCOLATE BUTTER ICING:
1 ounce (1 square) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rum OR brewed coffee
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

To make Cake, butter and flour an 8-inch diameter cake pan that's at least 1 1/2 inches deep. In a 3-quart mixing bowl, cream butter and 2/3 cup sugar together with an electric mixture for several minutes until mixture is fluffy and pale yellow. Beat in egg yolks until well blended. Beat egg whites and pinch of salt in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold chocolate mixture into butter-sugar mixture, then stir in almonds and almond extract. Fold in 1/4 of whites to lighten batter. Fold in 1/3 of remaining whites. Sift 1/3 of flour over and fold in. Fold in remaining whites alternately with flour in 2 more additions each.
Turn batter into prepared cake pan, push the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake on middle level of a preheated 350-degree oven, about 25 minutes or until cake has puffed and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a tested in that area comes out clean. Center should move slightly if pan is shaken. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan and reverse cake on a rack to cool completely, an hour or two.

Cake must be cold to ice.
Meanwhile, make Chocolate Butter Icing. In a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of not quite simmering water, combine chocolate and rum. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from water. Beat butter into chocolate, a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over cold water until chocolate mixture is cool and of spreading consistency. Place cake on a platter. At once, spread evenly over the cool cake with a spatula or knife.

Makes 1 (8-inch ) cake, 6 to 8 servings.

From "Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume One,

" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 1961).

Enjoy!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Julia Child's Recipe for Chicken Salad

"I marinate all of these in much the same way, in that I first marinate the elements briefly with the seasoning elements to blend flavors, then toss them with only enough mayonnaise to bind them together. This way you are getting splendid flavor and are not overdoing on the sauce. In fact, rather than mixing it in you may well pass the mayonnaise separately, and calorie watchers may slather it on at their own discretion."
-- Julia Child from The Way To Cook, Alfred A. Knopf.

Yield: Serving 6 to 8

• 6 cups cooked skinless and boneless chicken or turkey that has been cut into good-size bites, such as rectangles about 1 by 1 1/2 inches and 1/4 inch thick.
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 to 2 Tbs excellent light olive oil
• 2 to 3 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp finely cut tarragon leaves, or 1/4 tsp fragrant dried tarragon
• 1 cup diced tender celery stalks
• 1/2 cup minced scallions or mild onion
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 3/4 cup or more of mayonnaise, preferably homemade
• 1 medium head of romaine, washed and dried

Decorative suggestions: 2 hard-boiled eggs, a large handful of fresh parsley, several strips of red pimento

Preliminary seasoning. Toss the chicken or turkey in a big mixing bowl with the salt, pepper, and enough oil to enrobe the meat very lightly. Then toss with the lemon juice, and finally with the herbs, celery, onions, and optional walnuts. Taste analytically, correct seasoning. Let steep 10 minutes, tossing several times.

* Ahead-of-time note: May be completed a day in advance to this point; cover and refrigerate.

Final seasoning. Drain any accumulated liquid out of the salad, correct seasoning again, and fold in just enough mayonnaise to enrobe the ingredients.