Opera Cake

Light Butter Cream

Make a meringue by heating the 13 g of water and 30 g of sugar to 118 degrees (you should get small bubbles all over the surface of your syrup).

At the same time, beat the 23 g of egg whites with the 8 g of sugar.

Then pour the bubbling syrup over the egg whites. Whisk until completely cooled down(several minutes). Set aside.

Make the cream.

Pour the egg yolks in your food processor's bowl and start whisking.

Heat the 30 g of water and 75 g of sugar to 118 degrees (you should get small bubbles all over the surface of your syrup).

Then pour little by little the bubbling syrup over the yolks. Whisk until the mixture whitens.

Place the butter in another bowl and whisk until very soft. Then add it to the previous mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Finally, add the Italian meringue and whisk on low speed to get some air into the cream and make it lighter.

Cover with film and set aside.

Coffee Cream

Make an espresso coffee and take a tablespoon of it.

Add the 5 g of instant coffee and mix. Pour over your light buttercream. Mix.

Set aside in the fridge.

Joconde Sponge

Preheat your oven to 200 C / 390 F degrees.

Place the eggs, egg yolks, ground almonds and 88 g of sugar in your food processor's bowl.

Whisk at medium/high speed for 10 minutes.

Whip the egg whites and gradually add the 50 g of sugar.

Incorporate the egg whites into the previous mixture then gradually add the flour.

Spread this mixture across 3 sheets of baking paper so you end up with 3 rectangles each measuring 20x30 cm.

Bake each rectangle for 10 to 12 minutes.

Then leave to cool.

Chocolate ganache

Cut the chocolate in chunks. Put it in a bowl.

Bring the milk and cream mixture to a boil.

Pour over the chocolate little by little while mixing.

Add the butter and whisk until smooth.

Set aside.

Coffee syrup

Mix the ingredients until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Final assembly

Place a rectangle of baking paper at the bottom of your tray.

Place a Joconde sponge layer in it then soak it with coffee syrup.

Spread 125 g of coffee cream across it and flatten the surface with a spatula.

Place a second Joconde sponge layer on top then soak it with coffee syrup.

Spread the ganache on top.

Place the third Joconde sponge layer on top then soak it with coffee syrup.

Spread the rest of the coffee cream on top of it and flatten the surface with a spatula.

Set aside in your fridge for at least 1 hour.

Chocolate icing

Place the ingredients in a double-boiler.

Melt while mixing and maintaining a temperature between 35 and 40 degrees (95-104 F).

Pour over your Opera cake and flatten the surface.

Set aside in your fridge until serving.