Baking College In-Depth: Opera Cake

We’re kicking off this month’s lesson with a French basic: opera cake! A coffee- and chocolate-layered delight, the origins are unsure. It’s potential Louis Clichy created the primary opera cake, a signature gâteau in his Paris store. On the similar time, Dalloyau, a pastry store, bought an identical cake to honor the Paris Opera. To at the present time, the opera cake is a beloved basic with tender layers of almond sponge cake which are soaked in a wealthy espresso syrup. A daring Espresso French Buttercream and decadent chocolate ganache accompany the layers of cake, creating an unbeatable coffee-and-chocolate pairing. Coated in a surprising Chocolate Glaze, this dessert can’t assist however be the star of the present! Don’t let the layers idiot you—our lesson makes the baking course of simple and easy with a step-by-step information on tips on how to create the proper opera cake!

Click on right here to obtain a printable PDF of this lesson, or maintain scrolling to view our digital lesson. And remember to be a part of us for Baking School with Williams Sonoma on Monday, February 13, 2023, at 5 p.m. PT. Brian Hart Hoffman, Brooke Bell, and Laura Crandall to make this beautiful layered cake. Seize your Valentine and bake with us!

Glorious recipes require fantastic elements. Right here’s how our recipe’s elements contribute to creating the easiest opera cake.

BLANCHED ALMOND FLOUR: Almond flour is finely floor skinless blanched almonds. For this opera cake, almond flour is an excellent addition because it creates a fragile, gentle, and ethereal sponge.

CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Confectioners’ sugar is solely granulated white sugar that’s been floor to a high-quality powder. A little bit of cornstarch is added to behave as an anti-caking agent and brings a melt-in-your-mouth sweetness to this cake. In contrast to granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar dissolves shortly, simply, with an exceptionally easy texture, making it good for the sponge cake.

CREAM OF TARTAR: Cream of tartar aids in stabilizing the whipped egg whites within the batter and serving to them maintain their quantity.

UNBLEACHED CAKE FLOUR: As a result of it’s made out of a comfortable wheat, unbleached cake flour makes a extra delicate sponge than all-purpose flour, however with a protein content material of 5% to eight%, it nonetheless supplies sufficient construction for our cake.

UNSALTED BUTTER: Because the identify implies in our Espresso French Buttercream, butter is the principle ingredient on this decadent frosting. An unsalted European-style butter, which has a better fats content material than different butters, creates a dreamy frosting that may simply be unfold onto the sponge cake. We use unsalted butter for the reason that salt content material can range throughout manufacturers of butter, which lets us management the quantity of salt used on this recipe.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE: The excessive cacao content material of bittersweet chocolate makes for a deep and fewer candy taste than milk chocolate, although sweeter than darkish chocolate. Our recipe makes use of bittersweet chocolate within the ganache and glaze, creating the proper chocolaty stability between the layers.

INSTANT ESPRESSO: Utilizing prompt espresso in each the buttercream and the Espresso Syrup enriches the chocolate taste within the layers.

EGGS: Performing as an support in leavening and including moisture to the sponge cake, entire eggs and egg whites are utilized in our recipe to create beautiful carry and sumptuousness within the cake.

VANILLA EXTRACT: Utilizing vanilla extract within the sponge cake enhances each the chocolate and occasional notes within the recipe.

WATER: Consider water as a connector of flavors on this cake. It brings the granulated sugar, espresso, and cognac collectively, creating an intense elixir to drizzle onto the chocolate sponge that ensures it tastes wonderful and stays moist.

We suggest this set of instruments for our method

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STAND MIXER: As a beloved energy-and time-saver, a stand mixer will assist beat egg whites for the sponge cake. (Pictured is the KitchenAid® Artisan Stand Mixer, 5-Qt.)

SAUCEPAN: To make each the Espresso Syrup and the Espresso French Buttercream, you want a small chrome steel saucepan that heats evenly, with correct temperature management and no trace of scorching spots. (Pictured is the All-Clad d5 Stainless-Steel Saucepan.)

THERMOMETER: An instant-read thermometer will assist offer you confidence as you make the Espresso French Buttercream. As quickly because the thermometer registers 240°F (116°C), the sugar syrup is able to take off the warmth and pour into the whipped egg yolks! (Pictured is the OXO Thermocouple Thermometer.)

OFFSET SPATULA: AOffset spatulas provide help to obtain a easy prime when making the sponge batter, spreading out the buttercream, ganache, and evenly coating the cake within the chocolate glaze. The bigger one will assist unfold the sponge batter in only a few strokes, and the smaller one provides extra management when ending the layers. (Pictured is the Williams Sonoma Olivewood Offset Icing Spatula.)

HAND MIXER: For our Espresso French Buttercream, a hand mixer permits for energy and pace but additionally extra management when whipping air into egg yolks which may not have sufficient quantity for a stand mixer to successfully attain and blend. (Pictured is the Breville Handy Mix Scraper 9-Speed Hand Mixer.)

SQUEEZE BOTTLE OR PASTRY BRUSH: That is important for gently and evenly saturating the Espresso Syrup onto the fragile sponge cake. You should use a pastry brush when you don’t have a squeeze bottle. We suggest a brush with bristles as an alternative of silicone for his or her flexibility and sturdiness. (Pictured is the OXO Chef’s Squeeze Bottle.)

PIPING TIP: Utilizing an extra-large ribbon piping tip when piping the Espresso French Buttercream will make it simpler to get an excellent layer of buttercream onto the sponge cake. (Pictured is the Ateco #898, a part of the Ateco Pastry Tip Set.)

OPERA TORTE (GÂTEAU OPÉRA)

Opera cake is a decadent deal with good for coffee-and-chocolate lovers, and it’s worthy of any and each special day. This cake is comprised of layers of soppy almond sponge cake, Espresso Syrup, chocolate ganache, and easy espresso buttercream. Then, every part will get coated in a sublime Chocolate Glaze for its grand finale.

The inspiration of this cake is the almond joconde sponge, a basic French pastry component. It’s nutty and wealthy however nonetheless as gentle as a sponge cake needs to be, creating the proper base for our opera cake.    

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 17¼x12¼-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, letting extra lengthen over sides of pan.       

2. In a medium heatproof bowl, sift collectively almond flour and confectioners’ Add eggs, one after the other, whisking till nicely mixed after every addition. Place over a saucepan of simmering water; cook dinner, whisking ceaselessly, till an instant-read thermometer registers 95°F (35°C) to 105°F (41°C). Take away from warmth, and whisk by hand till gentle and ribbon-consistency. (Alternatively, beat with a hand mixer at medium-high pace till gentle and ribbon- consistency.) The combination ought to fall off the whisk in ribbons. For this step of the recipe, confectioners’ sugar will dissolve extra shortly and simply than granulated sugar. You should use a spoon or whisk to assist push the almond flour and sugar by the sieve.

3. Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium pace till foamy. With mixer on medium pace, add sugar in a sluggish, regular stream; improve mixer pace to medium-high, and beat till medium-stiff peaks type. Granulated sugar aids within the stabilization of the egg whites, however be sure to slowly add the sugar in a gentle stream, which can make sure you don’t deflate all the stunning air you whipped into the egg whites; it additionally helps ensure the sugar dissolves so that you don’t have textured meringue on the finish.

4. Add almond flour combination to egg white combination, and really gently fold till virtually mixed. (Combination ought to look streaky.) Sift cake flour over egg combination, and gently fold till simply mixed. Switch about 1 cup (75 grams) batter to a small bowl, and fold in melted butter and vanilla. Return combination to massive bowl, and fold till simply mixed. Calmly folding the eggs in at this step is essential to a ravishing, ethereal sponge. Don’t be tempted to get each little bit of white and yolk folded collectively! Most significantly, be sure to don’t overwork the batter. When you knock the air out of the eggs, the sponge received’t rise correctly.

5. Pour massive dollops throughout ready pan, and gently unfold into an excellent layer utilizing as few strokes as potential. Pouring the batter in dollops will provide help to in spreading the batter, however you additionally wish to be sure to aren’t deflating the batter as you unfold it into the ready pan.

6. Bake till golden and agency to the contact, 8 to 9 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife over any edges which will have clung to pan. Utilizing extra parchment as handles, take away from pan, and let cool fully on parchment on a wire rack. Utilizing the surplus parchment as a “sling” will provide help to switch this delicate sponge with grace and ease!

7. Transfer cake to a chopping board, and trim edges to create a 15×10½-inch Discard edges. Lower into 3 (10½x5- inch) rectangles. Peel off parchment paper, and discard parchment. (Don’t begin assembling cake till syrup, buttercream and ganache recipes are ready and prepared for use).

Espresso and cognac complement the flavour of chocolate as this syrup is brushed on the sponge cake layers

1. In a small saucepan, warmth sugar and ½ cup (120 grams) water over medium warmth, stirring consistently, till sugar dissolves. Stir in espresso powder. Take away from warmth, and stir in cognac. Let cool fully earlier than utilizing. Utilizing a squeeze bottle for the Espresso Syrup will provide help to saturate the cake evenly with espresso and cognac, that are flavors that completely complement the chocolate and almond on this splendid cake.

Lofty and luscious, our Espresso French Buttercream is superbly balanced between the sweetness of the granulated sugar, the inherent depth and bitterness of espresso, and the richness of the unsalted butter.

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, beat egg yolks with a hand mixer fitted with the beater attachments at medium-high pace till pale yellow and barely thickened, 3 to 4. Be affected person throughout this step. You wish to ensure the egg yolks have time to correctly aerate.

2. In a small saucepan, stir collectively sugar and three tablespoons (45 grams) water over medium warmth till sugar dissolves. Utilizing a pastry brush dipped in water, brush sides of pan to stop sugar granules from crystallizing. Enhance warmth to excessive, and convey to a boil. (Don’t stir.) Prepare dinner till an instant-read thermometer registers 240°F (116°C). If the sugar granules that accumulate on the perimeters of the saucepan aren’t brushed down, the sugar can harden and crystallize.

3. With mixer on low pace, slowly pour scorching sugar syrup into egg yolk combination in a sluggish, regular stream, being cautious to not hit sides of bowl or beater attachments; scrape sides of bowl. Enhance mixer pace to excessive, and beat till backside of bowl feels cool to the contact and combination could be very thick and really pale yellow, 4 to five minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) at a time, beating at medium pace till mixed after every addition. (Combination will look damaged at instances, however maintain beating and it’ll come again collectively.) As you’re including the butter to the egg yolk and sugar combination, the butter ought to give only a slight resistance to the stress of your fingers. In case your butter is just too chilly, it could possibly trigger your buttercream to interrupt. When you really feel like your buttercream is just too comfortable, which may occur if the butter is just too heat or your egg combination was not cool sufficient, refrigerate for 15 to half-hour, or place bowl over ice, stirring sometimes, and the buttercream will thicken properly.

4. In a small bowl, stir collectively espresso and remaining 1¾ teaspoons (9 grams) Add espresso combination and salt to buttercream, and beat at low pace till mixed, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Use instantly.

Easy but decadent, the ganache is the middle layer, and its sweetness pairs superbly with the bitter espresso notes

1. Within the prime of a double boiler, place chocolate. Warmth, with out stirring, over simmering water till virtually melted. Gently stir till Take away from warmth. Add heat cream, and beginning in middle of bowl, slowly stir with a rubber spatula till nicely mixed. (Ganache will thicken because it cools.) Let stand till a spreadable consistency, about quarter-hour. (You may place within the fridge to assist thicken quicker; nonetheless, regulate it so it doesn’t get too thick and onerous to work with.)

Easy and tremendous easy, this easy glaze fabricated from bittersweet chocolate and impartial oil provides the cake a sophisticated, elegant end

1. Within the prime of a double boiler, place chocolate. Warmth, with out stirring, over simmering water till virtually melted. Gently stir till easy. Take away from warmth. Stir in oil. Let cool for five minutes earlier than utilizing. Including oil to the melted chocolate re-emulsifies the chocolate and helps skinny it out, making a easy, shiny end that’s simple to work with.

Now that each one the weather of this cake are prepared, it’s time for the finale

2. Place 1 cake layer on a medium chopping board. Unfold melted chocolate into an excellent layer on prime of rectangle, being cautious to not push it off cake onto chopping board. Refrigerate till agency, 5 to 10 minutes. Utilizing an offset spatula will assist unfold the melted chocolate throughout the highest layer of the cake effortlessly!

    5. Discard parchment. Place 2 tablespoons (30 grams) Chocolate Glaze right into a parchment piping bag. (See notice under.) Shortly pour remaining Chocolate Glaze over chilly buttercream, tapping and lifting chopping board to assist it settle and easy out. (It’s OK if some drips down the perimeters.) Let stand till set, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower a really small opening in tip of parchment piping bag, and pipe “Opera” onto cake (and designs, if desired). Let stand till set, 5 to 7 minutes. Be assured but fast when spreading the glaze, as it would set speedily as soon as it hits the chilly buttercream. You shouldn’t need to unfold the glaze when you transfer the board to distribute the glaze. This fashion, you received’t have streaks, only a completely easy floor. It is vital for the glaze to be heat however not too scorching in order that the buttercream doesn’t soften.

Be aware: To make the parchment piping bag: Fold the parchment in half diagonally, urgent firmly alongside the crease. Rotate the parchment to align the crease with the sting of your work floor. Lower the parchment alongside the seam with a knife, creating two proper triangles. Seize the far nook between your thumb and index finger after which roll the parchment round itself. Drag the paper till it varieties a decent cone. Whereas holding the cone in place together with your proper hand, carry up the unfastened parchment so you’ll be able to slide your thumb underneath the cone to pinch it in place. With the cone secured between your proper thumb and index finger, use your left hand to wrap the additional parchment across the cone till you don’t have anything left however a small flap that may be tucked into the physique of the cone itself.

6. Utilizing a scorching dry knife, trim edges, cleansing knife between cuts. Lower into 6 slices. Serve instantly. (If not serving immediately, cowl and refrigerate till able to serve after which trim and Let stand at room temperature to melt buttercream.) Merely warmth the knife underneath scorching water and dry it off in between slicing to get good, easy slices of cake.