opera cake

this is my first opera cake for my husband birthday. i was doubt i can made it perfectly, actually i want to made 12 layers (6 layers jaconde cake + 6 layers ganache) like riana's made, but it so difficult as i only have one baking pan (24cm). It still challenge for me, next time i will break it perfectly hehe.. so, for now i make 3 layers of jaconde cake and 2 layers ganache. i dont want to make a tall sponge cake and then slicing it be 6. i want to get a crush for each layer that i can get if i bake the batter in to 6 baking pan, more beautiful. for almond, i change it with cashew nut. i break it with blender.

the recipe is from mba riana and ita kustina, thank so much for the great recipe, oww ya.. for the coffee syrup and choco glaze i put from www.alcuisine.org.

Opera Cake

by Ita Kustina

Jaconde Cake:

• 200 g ground almond
• 150 g caster sugar
• 6 eggs
• 50 g butter, melted
• 55 g flour
• 115 g egg whites
• 55 g powdered/confectioners sugar
• Strong brewed coffee to brush the cake layers

Ganache:

• 500 g Dark Cooking Chocolate, chopped
• 350 g whipping cream

Coffee Syrup:

• 125 g water
• 65 g granulated sugar
• 1,5 tbsp instant coffee

Chocolate Glaze:

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 oz (150 g) dark chocolate

Instruction:

• Ganache:
  Heat the cream just until boiling point, turn off the heat. Stir in dark cooking chocolate until melted and makes a smooth and shiny ganache.
  Let cool and keep it in the fridge for a night. Before using it, take out from the fridge and mix/whip until fluffy and easy to spread.
• Cake:
  Beat ground almond, caster sugar and 3 eggs with electric mixer for about 10 minutes.
  Beat in the remaining 3 eggs while continue beating for about 10 minutes more.
  Drop 2 big spoons of this batter into melted butter, stir until blended, set aside.
  Mix the flour with ground almond batter.
  Beat the egg whites until frothy, beat in powdered/confectioners sugar while continue beating until it forms soft peaks.
  Fold this egg whites into almond batter. Fold in the melted butter that has been mixed with a little almond batter until well blended.
  Divide the batter into 6 pans (22 x 22 cm each), bake 10 minutes in 200 degree Celcius. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Assembling:
  Take one layer, brush it with strong coffee. Spread the ganache onto the layer.
  Put another cake layer on top of the first layer, brush it with strong coffe. Spread the ganache onto this second layer.
  Repeat this process until all layers has been assembled. Put the assembled cake in refrigerator for about 20 minutes to firm the structure.
  Pour melted chocolate or remaining ganache if any (reheat if necessary) over the cooled cake. Set aside in the refrigerator just until the chocolate topping is firm (about 1 hour).
  Cut the crust sides of the cake with a long thin knife that’s just been dipped into hot water and wiped, so now you can see the pretty layers of the cake.
  Garnish as you like.

Happy baking!