Queen of sheba cake

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 c Almonds; blanched toasted
16 ts Sugar
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/4 c Cocoa powder
1 ts Baking powder
6 Eggs separated room temper -ture
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1/3 c Butter melted and cooled Chocolate parfait:
12 oz Bittersweet chocolate coars -ly chopped
1 c Milk
8 Egg yolks room temperature
1 1/3 c Sugar
2 c Whipping cream well-chilled
1/2 c Amaretto liqueur
1/4 c Water Chocolate whipped cream:
2 oz Bittersweet chocolate coars -ly chopped
1 c Whipping cream well-chilled
4 ts Sugar
1 ts Vanilla

Instructions:

Almonds; whole blanched Chocolate garnishes optiona - Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Cover bases of two 9" springform pans with foil then attach sides. Finely grind almonds with 4 tbsp sugar. Sift flour cocoa baking powder into a small bowl. Stir in almond mixture. Beat yolks and 8 tbsp sugar using electric mixer until slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted about 6 minutes. Beat whites in another bowl with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually add remaining 4 tbsp of sugar and beat until whites are stiff and shiny. Fold 1/3 of almond/cocoa mixture into yolks then 1/3 of egg whites. Repeat twice folding in melted butter just before final 1/3 of whites is incorporated. Spoon 1/2 of batter into each pan smoothing surface with spatula. Bake until tester inserted in center of cake comes out dry about 20 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 5 minutes. Invert onto rack and cool cakes completely. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot but not boiling water. Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk return to saucepan. Stir over low heat until mixture leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across it about 5 to 7 minutes. Do Not Boil. Gradually whisk custard into chocolate until smooth. Cool completely stirring occasionally. Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold into cooled chocolate mixture in 3 batches. To assemble cut each cake into 2 layers using a serrated knife. Set one layer cut side up in the 9" springform pan. Combine liqueur and water. Brush 4 tbsp onto cake in pan. Spoon 1/4 of chocolate parfait over cake spreading to edge. Top with second layer cut side up. Repeat with liqueur and parfait. Add third layer and repeat. Add forth layer and repeat smoothing top of parfait with a spatula. Cover and freeze until firm at least 4 hours. Remove pan sides. Refrigerate cake while preparing cream. Melt chocolate in double boiler over hot but not boiling water. Stir until smooth. Remove from over water. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Whisk in chocolate. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Set cake on serving platter. Pipe decorative whipped cream rosettes around edge of cake. Set almonds in rosettes. Mayalso use chocolate leaves or curls as garnish.