Ingredients
- 170 g egg whites
- 45 g white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 135 g almond flour
- 135 g powdered sugar
- 170 g whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 25 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g butter, melted
- 120 g white sugar
- 150 ml water
- 30 g coffee beans, crushed
- 1 tablespoon dark rum/Amaretto/Cointreau
- 80 g paillete feuilletine
- 80 g dark chocolate (58%)
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 4 egg yolks
- 150 g white sugar + 55ml water + 2 teaspoons instant coffee
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 300 g butter, softened
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 20 g liquid glucose
- 150 g dark chocolate (50%)
- 170 g albusuri
- 45 g zahar alb
- 1/4 lingurita sare
- 135 g faina de migdale
- 135 g zahar pudra
- 170 g oua intregi
- 1 lingurita extract vanilie
- 25 g faina alba
- 30 g unt topit
- 120 g zahar
- 150 ml apa
- 20 g boabe de cafea, faramitate
- 1 lingura rom sau Cointreau ori Amaretto
- 80 g paillete feuilletine
- 80 g ciocolata neagra
- 15 ml ulei vegetal
- 4 galbenusuri
- 150 g zahar + 55ml apa + 2 lingurite cafea instant
- 1/4 lingurita sare
- 300 g unt, temperatura camerei
- 150 g smantana pentru frisca
- 20 g glucoza
- 150 g ciocolata neagra 58%
- 250 g ciocolata neagra (58%)
- 30 ml ulei vegetal
Preparation
Step 1
Directions: Joconde Sponge Cake:
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. Add the whole eggs and vanilla and mix for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
In the meantime, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add the salt and sugar and continue mixing until stiff and glossy.
Fold the meringue into the egg mixture, alternating it with flour.
Drizzle in the melted butter then spread the mixture onto two sheets of baking paper 35x25cm. these two sheets will then be cut so that we end up with 3 23cm sheets of sponge cake.
Place the sponge cake aside until needed. Coffee Syrup:
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and place over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the coffee beans and remove off heat.
Allow to infuse for 10 minutes then drain well and allow to cool down.
Stir in the rum/Amaretto/Cointreau and place aside. Dark Chocolate Croustillant:
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl then stir in the oil. Add the paillete feuilletine then mix well.
Spread the croustillant over one Joconde sponge cake square and place in the fridge until set – 10 minutes in the freezer is enough.
When the croustillant is set, remove from the fridge then turn the sponge cake upside down on a cake board so that the croustillant layer comes in contact with the board and it’s then followed by the sponge cake. Place aside. Coffee Buttercream:
Combine the egg yolks and salt in a heatproof bowl. Mix for a few minutes until pale and light.
In the meantime, combine the sugar, instant coffee and water in a pot and bring it to 115C.
When the syrup has the right temperature, pour it gradually over the whipped egg yolks, mixing all the time. Continue mixing until the yolks turn fluffy, airy and the bowl is neutral to the touch.
Add the butter, all at once, then mix on low speed until well incorporated, followed by 2 minutes on high speed until fluffy and pale. Dark Chocolate Ganache:
Heat the heavy cream and glucose in a small pot to te boiling point.
Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to rest for a few minutes. Mix well until shiny and smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until it has a spreadable consistency. Chocolate Glaze:
Melt the chocolate over a hot water bath.
Stir in the vegetable oil.
Use this glaze as soon as possible after making it. To finish the cake:
Remove the sponge cake and the paillete feuilletine layer from the fridge.
Brush the sponge cake with coffee syrup until well soaked in syrup.
Spread half of the coffee buttercream over the sponge cake.
Continue with a layer of sponge cake followed by coffee syrup.
Spread the ganache over the sponge cake.
Finish off with the lasy layer of sponge cake, coffee syrup and the remaining coffee buttercream.
Place the cake in the fridge for a few hours.
Pour the glaze over the chilled cake.
Allow it to set then cut off the edges of the cake to expose the layers. Now it’s the time to cut the cake into smaller pieces if you want to.
To decorate, write Opera on the cake or on each slice.
Directions:
Directions: Blat Joconde:
Combinati faina de migdale si zaharul pudra intr-un bol. Adaugati ouale intregi si vanilia si mixati cateva minute pana obtineti un amestec spumos, deschis la culoare.
Intre timp, mixati albusurile pana devin spumoase.
Adaugati sarea si zaharul, treptat, mixand pana obtineti o bezea ferma.
Incorporati bezeaua in amestecul de ou si faina de migdale, alternand-o cu faina.
Adaugati si untul topit apoi intindeti doua foi subtiri de aluat (35x25cm) – aceste doua foi vor fi mai apoi taiate astfel incat sa obtinem 3 foi de blat, chiar daca una dintre ele o vom construi din resturi.
Coaceti in cuptorul preincalzit la 200C pentru 8-10 minute pana devin usor aurii - aveti grija sa nu le ardeti sau uscati, coacti scurt si stati cu ochii pe ele!
Taiati patrate de 23cm, formand astfel 3 straturi de blat diferite. Sirop de cafea:
Combinati zaharul si apa intr-un vas si puneti pe foc. Gatiti pentru 2-3 minute, apoi adaugati boabele de cafea si dati deoparte sa infuzeze 10 minute.
Strecurati si adaugati romul.
Dati deoparte pana la nevoie. Crocant de ciocolata:
Topiti ciocolata cu uleiul intr-un vas. Adaugati paillete in bol peste cele doua ingrediente si amestecati bine apoi intindeti crocantul intr-un strat subtire peste o foaie de blat.
Dati la rece sa se inchege apoi intoarceti foaia cu crocantul in jos pe un platou si dati deoparte.
In loc de crocant, puteti folosi doar ciocolata neagra, topita – aproximativ 50g – pe care o intindeti cu pensula sau spatula. Crema de unt cu cafea:
Puneti galbenusurile si sarea intr-un bol. Mixati cateva minute pana devin deschise la culoare.
Intre timp, combinati zaharul, cafeaua si apa intr-un vas si aduceti la 115C.
Cand siropul e la temperatura corecta, turnati-l treptat peste galbenusurile mixate, continuand sa mixati cateva minute pana obtineti un amestec pufos, aerat, iar bolul s-a racit.
Adaugati treptat untul la temperatura camerei, mixand la viteza mica initial pana la incorporarea completa, apoi 2 minute la viteza mare. Ganache:
Incalziti smantana si glucoza intr-un vas.
Turnati peste ciocolata si lasati cateva minute, apoi amestecati pana la incorporare, pana obtineti un ganache lucios, cu o textura fina.
Acoperiti cu folie la suprafata si dati la rece pana are o consistenta usor de intins cu spatula. Glazura:
Topiti ciocolata intr-un vas pe baie de aburi.
Incorporati treptat uleiul vegetal si dati deoparte. Folositi aceasta glazura cat mai curand dupa realizarea ei, in caz contrar va trebui sa o reincalziti. Pentru a finisa tortul:
Intoarceti primul stratul de blat (cel cu feuilletine) pe un platou.
Insiropati-l din plin, pana blatul e aproape complet maroniu, apoi acoperiti cu jumatate din crema de unt cu cafea.
Continuati cu un strat de blat, apoi sirop si tot ganache-ul.
Finisati cu un blat si sirop, apoi restul de crema de unt.
Dati la rece cateva ore.
Acoperiti uniform cu glazura, apoi taiati marginile pentru a le expune, acesta fiind felul clasic de a prezenta Opera.
Optional, pentru décor, puteti scrie pe fiecare felie Opera.
Directions: