 |
| Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs |
The Opera Cake is the favorite cake of my French friend, Cedric. I made this for him on his birthday last year and after my first try, I swore I won't be making this cake again. It is just too much work for such a cake, despite it being really delicious. The first time I baked it, I made a lot of modification to the recipe but this time around, I stuck to the recipe and followed each step religiously as I could. As the author of the recipe states, why mess with something that is already a classic.
I don't know much about the history of the cake but in this case, it is hardly necessary. Given a cake this delicious, who cares how it came about. What is more important is how to get a copy of the recipe. I'm glad I was able to find one that is actually very good. I managed to ask Cedric for a recipe of the cake but it was a bit too mangled for me to follow so I went ahead and used Dorie Greenspan's recipe. Her post offers a bit more information on the cake as well which might be of interest to you. Who knows, given the right motivation, I just might bake the other cake that I swore I will never make again, Wolfgang Puck's 16-layer chocolate cake that I made for a friend for his birthday as well.
*Opera Cake - Adapted
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups ground blanched almonds
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled briefly
Coffee Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso or coffee
Coffee Buttercream
2 tbsp instant espresso or coffee
2 tbsp boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large whole egg
1 large egg yolk
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Chocolate Ganache
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
Chocolate Glaze
5 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
To make the cake:
1. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to
425°F. Line two 12 1/2-x15 1/2-inch (31-x-39-cm) jelly-roll pans with
parchment paper and brush with melted butter.
2. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar
and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another
mixer bowl, gently scrape the whites into another bowl.
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the almonds,
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the almonds,
confectioners sugar and whole eggs on medium speed until light and
voluminous, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and beat on low speed only
until it disappears.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture,
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture,
then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and
spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan.
5. Bake the cakes for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and
5. Bake the cakes for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and
just springy to the touch. Put the pans on a cooling rack and cover each
with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Turn the cakes over and
unmold. Carefully peel away the parchment, turn the parchment over
and use it to cover the exposed sides of the cakes. Let the cakes come
to room temperature between the parchment or wax paper sheets.
unmold. Carefully peel away the parchment, turn the parchment over
and use it to cover the exposed sides of the cakes. Let the cakes come
to room temperature between the parchment or wax paper sheets.
To make the syrup:
Stir everything together in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Cool. (The syrup can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
To make the buttercream:
1. Make a coffee extract by dissolving the instant espresso in the boiling
water. Set aside.
2. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir just until the
sugar dissolves. Continue to cook without stirring until the syrup reaches
230°F (pre-soft ball stage) as measured on a candy or instant-read
thermometer.
3. While the sugar is heating, put the egg and the yolk in the bowl of a
mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the eggs are pale
and foamy. When the sugar is at temperature, reduce the mixer speed to
low and slowly pour in the syrup. Raise the speed to medium-high and
continue to beat until the eggs are thick, satiny and room temperature,
about 5 minutes.
4. With the mixer on medium speed, steadily add the butter in 2-tablespoon
chunks. When all the butter has been added, raise the speed to high and
beat until the buttercream is thickened and satiny. Beat in the coffee
extract. Chill the buttercream covered until firm.
beat until the buttercream is thickened and satiny. Beat in the coffee
extract. Chill the buttercream covered until firm.
To make the ganache:
1. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the half and half and cream to
a full boil and pour it over the chocolate, wait 1 minute, then stir gently
until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
2. Add the butter into the ganache in 2 to 3 additions. Refrigerate the
ganache, stirring every 5 minutes, until it thickens and is spreadable,
about 20 minutes.
To assemble the cake:
 |
| Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs |
To glaze the cake:
Bring the butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and clarify the butter by spooning off the top foam and pouring the clear yellow butter into a small bowl. Discard the milky residue. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, then stir in the clarified butter. Lift the chilled cake off the parchment-lined pan and place it on a rack. Put the rack over a parchment-lined pan and pour over the glaze, using a long offset spatula to help smooth it evenly across the top. Slide the cake into the refrigerator to set the glaze and chill the cake, which should be served slightly chilled. At serving time, use a long thin knife, dipped in hot water and wiped dry, to carefully trim the sides of the cake so that the drips of glaze are removed and the layers revealed.
*Greenspan, D., Paris Sweets: Great Desserts from the City's Best Pastry Shops, Broadway Books: 2002
No comments:
Post a Comment