OK, bakers out there! I have a challenge for you! I made this Classic French Opera Cake for my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary dinner…and wow…was it delicious…and gorgeous!! The dinner was French-themed, so I went looking for quintessential French dessert. And here it is – Opera Cake! Why is it called “opera cake”? The story goes that when the legendary French pastry chef, Cyriaque Gavillon first created this cake, his wife said it looked like the Paris Opera House, Palais Garnier. Hence…opera cake! If you take on this challenge, please post a pic of your lovely creation!
Ingredients
For Almond Cake:
- 3 T unsalted butter, melted & cooled
- 6 lg egg whites, room temperature
- 2 T sugar
- 2 c almond flour
- 2-1/4 c powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 lg eggs
- 1/2 c flour
- 2 T instant espresso
- 2 T boiling water
- 1 c sugar
- 3 T water
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 lg egg
- 1 lg egg yolk
- 18 T unsalted butter
- 1/2 c milk
- 1/4 c heavy cream
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 T unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 c unsalted butter
- Day 1 – Bake almond cakes & make buttercream.
- Day 2 – Make ganache & glaze & assemble.
Make Almond Sponge Cake:
Position 2 racks in the upper & lower third of oven & heat to 425 deg. Line two 15″ x 12″ rimmed pans with parchment paper & brush with butter. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or an electric beater on high speed, beat egg whites until they become foamy & start to expand. Sprinkle in the sugar, 1 t at a time, beating between additions, until all of it is incorporated into the egg whites. Continue beating meringue until it is glossy & holds stiff peaks.
In a separate large bowl, beat the almond flour, powdered sugar & whole eggs on medium until the mixture becomes light & foamy. Gently stir flour into the almond batter.
Gently stir 1/4 of almond batter into the whipped egg whites. Fold the remainder of the almond batter & 3 T melted, cooled butter into the egg whites.
Divide the sponge cake batter between the 2 prepared pans & bake until the surfaces spring back from a light touch, 5 to 7 min.
Cool the cakes slightly. Cover the top surface of each cake with a fresh piece of parchment & carefully onto a clean surface. Slowly peel back the old parchment & allow the paper to rest loosely over the cakes to prevent them from drying out.
Make Coffee Buttercream:
Stir the espresso powder & boiling water together until the powder dissolves. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar, water, & vanilla to a boil. Continue cooking it until it reaches 255 F on a candy thermometer. Remove sugar syrup from the heat & allow to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg & egg yolk until they begin to get fluffy. While continuing to beat the mixture, pour the hot sugar syrup down the sides of the bowl in a steady, slow stream. Once the syrup is incorporated, beat in the reserved coffee mixture.
While continuing to beat on medium-high speed, add the butter, 1 T at a time, until fully incorporated into the buttercream before adding the next addition. The coffee buttercream is complete once it turns thick & fluffy.
Make Ganache:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk & cream to a boil.
Remove the pan from the heat & stir in the chocolate. Continue stirring the chocolate until it is melted & the mixture is smooth, about 2 min.
Add butter & continue stirring until fully combined.
Assemble the Cake:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut one 10 x 10-inch square from both layers of cake. Place 1 square on the baking sheet. Set the other aside.
You should have two 12 x 5-inch rectangles remaining. Cut both down to 10 x 5-inch rectangles. Set aside.
Carefully spread 3/4 of the coffee buttercream over the surface of the cake layer on the baking sheet. Lay the two 10 x 5-inch cake rectangles (so they make one 10 x 10-inch square) side by side on top of the buttercream layer. Spread the ganache over the cakes in a smooth, even layer.
Place the remaining 10 x 10-inch cake on top of the ganache. Spread it evenly with the remaining coffee buttercream. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour before glazing.
Glaze the Cake:
Clarify the butter by melting it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue heating after the butter melts, skimming off and discarding any solids until you are left with a clear yellow liquid.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in short bursts. Whisk in the clarified butter until the glaze is smooth. Pour the chocolate glaze evenly over the entire cake.
Allow it to set in the refrigerator to firm up, about 1 hour. Slice off the 4 edges before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Classic French Opera Cake Recipe (thespruceeats.com)
Photo Cred: My daughter, Anika StanWiens