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Opera cake

Opera Cake

Serves 4

130 mins

670 Kcal

This opera cake is really one of the most exquisite French desserts ever, elegant in layers of almond sponge cake called Joconde, coffee buttercream, chocolate ganache, and a glossy chocolate glaze. The cake is simple but it will add a perfect balance of rich flavours and texture that puts it in the middle of all special occasions. To begin with, prepare the Joconde sponge. Whisk the eggs and ground almonds until very light and airy. Fold the softened butter and flour into the mixture. Spread the batter on a baking sheet really thinly. Bake until golden, let cool completely, and cut into three equal layers for the opera cake recipe. The coffee syrup is simply instant coffee in sugar dissolved in hot water. This will gently soak the flavours of it into the sponge cake. Prepare the coffee buttercream by beating softened butter and sugar together with the coffee extract until smooth, then spread a generous layer of buttercream over the first sponge layer. For the chocolate ganache, heat some cream and pour it over chopped dark chocolate, stirring until smooth. It will layer over the buttercream and continues with another sponge layer. Repeat this process with the buttercream and ganache until you have used up all your layers for the cake. Lastly, drizzle a shiny chocolate glaze on top of the cake and let set. Opera Cake is best served chilled to allow flavours to meld into that sumptuous treat.

Ingredients required for Opera Cake

3 eggs
1 1/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter
8 ounces chocolate bars
2 tbsp espresso powder

Cooking steps for Opera Cake

1
The recipe of Opera Cake is the quintessential French dessert, comprising layers of almond sponge cake or Joconde infused with coffee syrup, covered with coffee buttercream, and sealed with chocolate ganache.
2
It ends with a glossing touch of chocolate glaze.
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The composite cake plays all the harmonies of flavours and textures, making it a treat in itself.
4
Here's how to make it step-by-step.
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First, preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
6
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7
In one large bowl, whisk together four large eggs, one ¼ cups (125g) of almond flour, ¾ cup (90g) of powdered sugar, and ¼ cup (30g) of all-purpose flour until extremely smooth.
8
Almond flour gives a nutty richness to the sponge, which will form the base for the cake.
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In another bowl, beat 3 egg whites with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar over stiff peaks.
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Gently fold the mixture of the egg whites into the almond mixture to lighten the batter.
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Then, fold in the melted unsalted butter at 3 Tbsp for added richness.
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Evenly spread out the batter on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cake is golden and springy to the touch.
13
Let cool completely, cut into three even-sized rectangular layers.
14
Prepare coffee syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar (50 gms), instant espresso powder (2 Tsp), and water (60ml).
15
Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool, and whisk in ¼ cup of brandy or cognac; this is the coffee syrup to moisten and flavour the cake layers. It's an addition that adds depth, moisture, and a delightful coffee kick to this cake.
16
Mix 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder into two tablespoons of hot water for the coffee buttercream and let cool. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar with two tablespoons water. Scrape the sides of the bowl and place over medium heat.
17
Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has reached a soft-ball stage, or it threads when dripped from a spoon and measures about 240 F on a candy thermometer.
18
Meanwhile, beat 6 egg yolks in another bowl until well mixed. When the sugar syrup has cooled to the right temperature, very gradually pour into the egg yolks, whisking continuously to make a thick, glossy paste.
19
Let the paste cool to room temperature, then gradually beat in 1 cup (227g) of softened unsalted butter until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
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Finally, mix in the dissolved espresso to give the buttercream a strong coffee essence.
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To construct, place one layer of the Joconde on a serving plate.
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Brush the sponge lavishly with the coffee syrup, then spread a layer of the coffee buttercream over the top.
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Repeat this process with the second sponge layer.
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To finish the cake, brush that final sponge layer with syrup and spread a layer of chocolate ganache (which we will prepare for you just next).
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Place a small amount of water in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water to make the chocolate glaze. Add 8 ounces chopped-up, fine, high-quality, semi-sweet chocolate and seven tablespoons cubed unsalted butter.
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Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let it cool a little bit before pouring it over the top of the assembled cake.
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Let the cake assemble and glaze it, then put it in the fridge for a couple of hours before slicing to enjoy a nice interleaving of flavours and easy cutting.
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When it's time to serve the cake, trim the edges for a clean appearance and polish them before cutting them into neat rectangular pieces.
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Such a cake, Opera Cake, with its almond sponge embedded with a nutty taste, coffee buttercream, chocolate ganache, and a glossy chocolate glaze, is a truly striking masterpiece to be desired for these or any other special occasions or for a moment when you want to impress a classic French dessert.

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FAQs

What do you find unique about Opera Cake compared to other layered cakes?

This Opera Cake is peculiarly diverse because of its layers: almond sponge (Joconde), coffee buttercream, chocolate ganache, and a glossy chocolate glaze. Every ingredient was formed into a balanced harmony of flavours. Amidst the bitter taste of coffee combined with the sweetness of chocolate, one can discover the perfect harmony of tastes. Then, to add to this, the cake also has a coffee syrup brushed over it for deeper flavour infusion - something that would not happen in most layers of cakes. The layers seem so delicate and evenly stacked, giving this cake much more of a refined look instead of the norm broad thickness of layers and simple fillings.

Does an Opera Cake necessarily have to include almond flour?

Almond flour is the most prominent element used in the sponge of the cake, which confers to the opera cake that delicate nutty flavour and chewy texture. However, if you have a nut allergy or an aversion to almond flour, you can replace it using all-purpose flour with a small amount of cornstarch so the cake does not become doughy. As it would influence the flavour and texture rather much, the cake lacks the richness that almond flour adds to the cake.