Description
Indulge in the decadent layers of this classic French Opera Cake, a rich dessert featuring almond sponge, coffee syrup, silky buttercream, chocolate ganache, and a glossy chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Joconde Sponge:
- 6 large eggs
- 6 egg whites
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Coffee Syrup:
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
For the Coffee Buttercream:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
For the Ganache:
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prepare Joconde Sponge: Beat whole eggs with almond and all-purpose flour. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form, fold into egg mixture with melted butter. Bake in jelly roll pans.
- Make Coffee Syrup: Boil water, sugar, and espresso powder. Cool.
- Create Coffee Buttercream: Boil sugar and water, whisk yolks until pale, add syrup, beat in butter and dissolved espresso.
- Prepare Ganache: Heat cream, pour over chocolate, stir until smooth.
- Make Chocolate Glaze: Heat cream, corn syrup, butter, pour over chocolate, stir until smooth.
- Assemble Cake: Layer sponge, syrup, buttercream, ganache. Chill, glaze, refrigerate, trim, and serve.
Notes
- The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Use a hot knife for clean slices.
- Sponge layers can be made in advance and frozen.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
