All you chocolate lovers and coffee lovers – You are going to fall in love with your chocolate and coffee all over again. Because this one is the ultimate flavor dose, an French patisserie style Opera Cake. And I like to call it “A SINFUL BLISS“. There is almond sponge cake, soaked in coffee syrup layered with dark chocolate ganache and coffee butter cream, covered with chocolate glaze. I can technically name it a Sinful bliss.
Opera Cake
If you think its difficult to prepare such an elaborate cake at home then you are wrong my friend – because it’s notttttttt.
If you see the layers individually; there is not a single component in the cake which is complicated.
There is :
1. Almond flavor cake ( Which is a quick comfortable cake to prepare )Â Remember I had made the same sponge for Petit fours also
2. Butter cream ( Just beat butter, sugar and flavor)
3. Chocolate Ganache ( Chopped chocolate + Cream )
4. Coffee syrup (coffee + hot water + sugar)
5. Chocolate Glaze ( Chocolate+cream+ sugar + hot water).
Coffee Butter Cream
Chocolate Ganache spread
Chocolate Glaze
Opera Cake
I recommend preparing all these components ahead of time and then assemble with all the love. The decoration on the top is all about your creativity. Go ahead with whatever you want to do. Traditionally Opera cake is decorated with its name written in glaze across the top and with a tender shimmering gold leaf. I went for a easy and quick chocolate art.
Few points to go through before you start to bake:
1 . Prepare all the components ahead of time, this really helps in the building of layers neatly.
2 . Measure all the ingredients accurately.
3. The Cake will need some time to chill in the fridge before the final glaze on the top. If you have time to keep it in the fridge overnight, that would be great.
4. I have reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe, I suggest you do the same. Less guilt 🙂
5. Spread the buttercream and chocolate Ganache slowly and deliberately, on all sides, to get it as even as you can.
6. Use a knife you’ve heated under hot tap water (then dried) to slice off the edges to achieve the clean layers.
7. Bake you own Opera cake, to hear that very first WOW word when served. The bling you see in their eyes and the feeling you get is like HEAVEN. I am there with you in the kitchen; any queries- pls write to me. I will be happy to answer.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE –
1.  300 gm of almond paste
2. 80 gm of granulated white sugar
3. 150 gm of unsalted butter (room temperature)
4. Four eggs (room temperature)
5.  85 gm of self rising flour
6. 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
7. A dash of salt
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 . 100gm of superior-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
2. 70 gm of heavy cream
INGREDIENTS FOR COFFEE BUTTER CREAM
1 . 50 gm of unsalted butter (room temperature)
2. 100gm of icing sugar (sifted)
3. 1 tablespoon of instant espresso
4. I tablespoon of hot water
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 . 20gm cocoa powder
2 . 30 ml water
3. 25 g heavy cream
4. 30 g sugar
INGREDIENTS FOR COFFEE SYRUP
1 . 1/2 cup water
2 . 1/3 cup sugar
3 . 1 1/2 tablespoons (7 grams) instant espresso or coffee
METHOD
To prepare the cake
Preheat the oven at 180 * C and prepare a swiss roll baking tray, properly lined with a parchment paper and set aside.
In a clean bowl, place the almond paste and using an electric hand mixer beat until smooth. To get a quick better smooth consistency, make sure your almond paste is at room temperature. Add the sugar and beat until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the butter and beat well, until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time beating until well combined. Add in the vanilla extract and mix.
In another bowl add in the flour and sugar and mix them together. You will have to fold this flour to the batter (eggs, butter and almond paste). I suggest using a rubber spatula at this stage. As you must have noticed that this recipe does not have any baking powder or baking soda. The cake will not rise much, but at the same time we want the cake to be soft and very tender. If you continue using a machine there is a high possibility that the batter will get over mixed. Don’t do that. nooooooop !
So add the flour to the rest of the cake batter and mix with a gentle hand. Done! Evenly spread the batter to the prepared baking tray using an off set spatula. Make sure you are getting into the corner evenly. It’s very important here in this recipe. Bake for about 20 minutes at 180* C until lightly browned and the tooth pick inserted in the center will come out clean. The cake will be little springy to the touch when done.
Remove from the oven and place on the wire rack to cool complete. When you take out the cake from the baking tray run a knife on the sides of the cake and gently slide out of the baking tray along with the parchment paper.
To prepare the chocolate Ganache
Place finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Bring the cream to a boil. Tip: when you heat the cream, remember to heat on the medium flame and don’t over heat. When the bubbles start to appear on the side; turn off the flame. Pour the hot liquid onto the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds, then mix until smooth. Let it cool until a spreadable consistency is obtained.
To prepare coffee butter cream
Place the softened butter in a bowl and mix with a hand-held electric mixer. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat together. Dissolve the coffee in the water and add to the buttercream and stir. Set aside. Keep in the fridge until all your components are ready to assemble the cake.
To prepare the chocolate glaze
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Let the glaze cook until it thickens slightly, Tip; The glaze will thicken as it cools.
To prepare coffee syrup
Stir the ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it cool before use.
Now take a layer and flip it on to a clean tray (which will fit in your fridge) lined with parchment paper. Peel off the parchment paper and apply coffee syrup to your layer. Then neatly spread a layer of coffee butter cream evenly over the top.Don’t forget to get on the edges evenly. Take the second layer and turn it upside down on the top of the butter cream spread. Peel off the parchment and brush coffee syrup evenly all over the cake layer. Spread another layer of prepared chocolate ganache evenly over that. Then the last layer on the top, and peel away the parchment paper. Cover the whole cake with the plastic wrap and then place something heavy on it and keep in the fridge for at least 4 to 5 hours. Over night would be best.
Pour the glaze onto the cooled cake and use a spatula to smooth out the top if need be. Return the cake to the fridge to allow the glaze to settle before cutting into pieces. Don’t forget to trim the sides, to get more even looking pieces. When the layers and the glaze is properly set, cut into the pieces. Pieces can be any size you like, and add your creativity on the top to make the cake look more appealing. Serve with pride and a smile.
Opera Cake
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