Opéra cake

Prepared 0 of 10 steps

1. 01

   Prepare the almond sponge base

   Heat the oven to 200 °C and line a tray about 30 × 40 cm. Beat whole eggs with ground almonds and icing sugar for 5–6 minutes until pale and thick.

2. 02

   Lighten the batter

   Separately beat 100 g whites with salt, gradually adding 40 g sugar to make stable foam. Fold into the almond mixture, then add wheat flour and 30 g melted, cooled butter with a spatula.

3. 03

   Bake and divide the sponge

   Spread evenly and thinly over the tray. Bake for 9–12 minutes until springy and pale golden. Cool, peel off parchment and cut into 3 equal rectangles about 13 × 30 cm.

4. 04

   Make coffee syrup

   Heat 100 ml water with 50 g sugar until dissolved. Add 5 g coffee and cool completely. Hot syrup would melt the buttercream during assembly.

5. 05

   Make the chocolate layer

   Chop 150 g chocolate and pour hot cream over it. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Cool to a soft, spreadable consistency, not a hot, runny sauce.

6. 06

   Make the buttercream meringue

   Combine remaining 80 g whites and 120 g sugar in a bowl over a water bath. Stir to 70 °C until sugar dissolves, remove and beat to firm foam at room temperature.

7. 07

   Finish the coffee buttercream

   Beat remaining 200 g soft butter into meringue in portions. Dissolve remaining 8 g coffee in 20 ml hot water, cool completely and add. If split, keep beating at moderate room temperature until smooth.

8. 08

   Assemble the layers

   Soak the first sponge with a third of the syrup and spread half the buttercream. Add second sponge, soak again and spread ganache. Add third sponge, remaining syrup and buttercream. Level and chill for 2 hours.

9. 09

   Add the glaze

   Melt remaining 100 g chocolate with vegetable oil and cool to about 32 °C. Spread a thin, even layer over the cold cake and refrigerate for at least 3 hours more.

10. 10

    Trim and slice

    Trim edges with a warm, dry knife to reveal neat layers. Cut small rectangles, wiping the blade after each cut. Do not add gold leaf, lettering, chopped nuts or berries.