Opera Cake (Gâteau Opéra)
Opera cake or Gâteau Opéra is a French cake famous for its many layers with different textures and flavors.
It is composed of delicious layers of almond cake (the French call it “joconde”), thick coffee-flavored buttercream, silky chocolate cream, coffee syrup, and chocolate icing. It’s an amazing cake precisely because it has a terrific combination of flavors.
Simple, yet elegant, and loved by anyone who appreciates fine desserts. Preparation is simple but requires a little effort to get the different textures. The result, though, is something spectacular, something that conquers with every bite. Enjoy!
Enjoy this classic opera cake recipe!
Opera Cake (Gâteau Opéra)
Ingredients
Joconde sponge:
- 4 eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 140 g almond flour
- 140 g powdered sugar
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 70 g wheat flour
- a pinch of salt
Coffee Buttercream:
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp instant coffee
- 200 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 60 ml water
- 4 egg yolks
Syrup:
- 150 ml hot water
- 2 tbsp instant coffee
- 50 g sugar
Chocolate ganache:
- 200 g chocolate
- 180 ml whipped cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate icing:
- 100 g chocolate
- 50 ml cooking cream
- 20 g butter
Instructions
Joconde sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and line two 25×35 cm (10×14 inches) baking trays with parchment paper.
- Mix the eggs with a pinch of salt and powdered sugar until they double in volume and become light in color. Add the almond flour and wheat flour and mix gently.
- Whip the egg whites stiff with a pinch of salt. Add the granulated sugar and continue mixing until the sugar has fully melted. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg cream, using upward movements.
- Pour the mixture into the two pans and level it. Bake for 15-16 minutes, until lightly browned on the surface.
- Remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack. When completely cooled, cut into six pieces of 25×11.5 cm (10×4½ inches).
Syrup:
- Mix all the ingredients until the syrup reaches a uniform consistency. Leave to cool.
Buttercream:
- Combine the instant coffee with hot water. Stir until it dissolves and leave it to cool.
- Separately, put water and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Boil the liquid for 5-6 minutes, until it forms a smooth syrup.
- While the syrup is boiling, whip the egg yolks with a pinch of salt and when the syrup is ready, turn off the mixer and gradually pour the syrup into the egg mixture. Slowly incorporate it, then increase the speed and mix until the egg yolks whiten and increase in volume.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add in, one piece at a time, mixing well after adding each piece. When all the butter is added, continue mixing until you have a smooth and frothy cream. Add the coffee and mix again. Refrigerate.
Ganache:
- Place the whipping cream over a medium heat. When it starts to boil, turn off the heat and add the chocolate. After two minutes, stir well and add the vanilla extract. Leave the ganache to cool.
Assembly:
- Alternate the layers as follows:– almond cake, syrup, chocolate cream– almond cake, syrup, buttercream– almond cake, syrup, chocolate cream– almond cake, syrup, buttercream– almond cake, syrup, buttercream + chocolate cream– almond cake, syrup
- Finally, spread the icing over the cake. The icing is prepared by melting all of the ingredients in a bain-marie.
- Leave the cake to cool until the next day. It is marvelous – a very elegant and aromatic cake.
Enjoy!
Notes
For more French delights, check out our round-up of the most famous French desserts.
Related: Fraisier Cake (French Strawberry Cake)
Related: Gâteau Magique (French Magic Cake)
Related: Chocolate Magic Cake
Related: Quatre Quarts: French Pound Cake
