Ingredients
Joconde Sponge (based on Mary Berry's recipe)
- 5 Egg Whites
- 25g Caster Sugar
- 166g Ground Almonds
- 166g Icing Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 50g Self Raising Flour
- 50g Unsalted Butter
Coffee Syrup
- 90ml Water
- 90ml Espresso
- 115g Caster Sugar
Chocolate Ganache
- 200g Double Cream
- 200g Dark Chocolate- Finely chopped
- 115g Butter
- 230-260g Icing Sugar
- 3 shots of espresso or 3 tsp Instant coffee diluted in 1-2 tbsp water
- 1tbsp Milk (if needed)
Chocolate Glaze
- 225g Dark Chocolate (finely chopped)
- 45g Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbsp Whole Milk
- 30g Golden Syrup
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- 70g Dark Chocolate-for chocolate paint
- 30g Dark Chocolate- for piping Opera.
Method
Joconde Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 200℃.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, add the caster sugar gradually whilst still whisking, to form a French Meringue. Cover with cling film and set aside.
- Sift together the icing sugar and ground almonds and whisk together with the eggs for 5 minutes of until doubled in size.
- Fold the flour to the egg mixture and then fold in the French meringue in three stages.
- Melt the butter and pour down the side of the bowl into the mixture, folding it in very carefully to avoid loosing volume.
- Distribute the Joconde mixture into three separate baking trays/ Swiss roll tins and bake in the oven for about 7 minutes.
- Add the water, espresso and sugar to a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chop the dark chocolate very finely.
- Heat up the double cream to just before boiling point (don't allow to boil as will burn easily).
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for 2 minutes.
- Stir the cream-chocolate mixture from the middle out (this is the hottest point so will create the best ganache) until a thick, smooth ganache is formed.
Coffee Buttercream
- Beat the butter for 3-5 minute until pale and fluffy.
- Add the sifted icing sugar in 4 separate stages, beating well in between.
- Add the cool coffee and beat well.
- Add whole milk if the buttercream needs to be loosened up, if already loose omit the milk.
Chocolate Glaze
- Melt together the chocolate and butter over a Bain Marie, until smooth.
- Mix in the golden syrup and milk until fully combined.
NOTE: Only make the glaze once all layers are assembled and the cake has chilled for 1hr minimum, as the glaze sets once fully cooled.
Assembly
- Firstly melt the dark chocolate and paint on one side of the first Joconde sponge and leave to set in the fridge -This will be the base of the cake and prevent the syrup from seeping through.
- Place the first layer on the desired cake board chocolate side down. Then using a pastry brush, brush a good amount of the coffee syrup onto the side of the first layer which is not painted with chocolate.
- Spread half of the chocolate ganache evenly over the first layer of Joconde and then place the second Joconde layer on top of the ganache layer.
- Repeat step 2 and 3 (soak sponge with syrup and spread rest of ganache), then spread half of the coffee buttercream on to the chocolate ganache layer and leave to set for 10 minutes.
- Place third layer of Joconde on top of the coffee butter cream layer and soak with coffee syrup- repeating step 2. Spread the remaining coffee butter cream over the final sponge layer, making sure it is spread very evenly as and imperfections will be visible. Leave to set in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Pour the glaze over the entire cake- it does not matter if the edges look messy at this point. Leave the cake to set in the fridge for minimum of 4 hours but preferably over night.
- Using a sharp, heated knife cut off each edge of the Opera cake, revealing the many layers in side. Leave to set in the fridge while you melt the dark chocolate and prepare it for piping.
- Pipe the word Opera in the centre of the cake and you're done!
Enjoy!
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