French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Opéra

Flat layered cake of coffee-soaked almond sponge, coffee buttercream and dark chocolate ganache.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 150 g ground almonds
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 4 eggs
• 40 g flour
• 110 g egg whites
• 140 g sugar
• 30 g butter
• 300 ml espresso
• 250 g soft butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 200 g dark chocolate
• 200 ml cream

Instructions

1. For the sponge, beat the ground almonds, powdered sugar and the 4 eggs until pale for 5 min., fold in the flour, whip 110 g egg whites with 40 g of the sugar to stiff peaks, fold in gently and finally work in the 30 g melted butter.
2. Spread the batter 1 cm thin onto two baking sheets lined with parchment and bake at 200°C (400°F) top/bottom heat for 8–10 min. until light golden brown; let cool and cut each into two equal rectangles of about 20 × 30 cm.
3. For the buttercream, cook the remaining sugar with 3 tbsp water to 118°C (244°F), pour into the 3 whisked egg yolks beaten until foamy, whip until cool and work in the 250 g soft butter spoon by spoon; stir in 4 tbsp espresso.
4. For the ganache, bring the cream to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, let stand for 2 min., stir smooth and let cool to a spreadable consistency.
5. Soak the first sponge layer generously with the remaining espresso, spread half the coffee cream on top, place the second sponge layer on top, soak it, spread half the ganache, soak the third sponge layer, spread the remaining cream and finish with the fourth sponge layer.
6. Chill the cake for 3 hr., coat with the slightly warmed remaining ganache until mirror-smooth, and cut into sharp-edged rectangles with a knife dipped in hot water.