Opera Cake

20.7.13 (Sat)

One of my church buddies asked if I know how to bake an Opera cake..well, I can try since I have the recipe..Hubby doesn't really like Opera cake because of the taste and texture..but he commented that the Opera cake I baked was nice..hehe.

Opera cake is a type of French cake. It is made with layers of almond sponge cake (known as Joconde in French) soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee buttercream, and covered in a chocolate glaze. According to Larousse Gastronomique "Opéra gateau is an elaborate almond sponge cake with a coffee and chocolate filling and icing."

First attempt, not really satisfying, as you can see from the picture, chocolate ganache not well done, and the whole baking process was really tedious, need lots of patience.

Ingredients

Almond cake

4 egg yolks

25g honey

25g vegetable oil

4 egg whites

60g caster sugar

20g soft flour

10g corn starch

1/2 tsp baking powder

50g ground almond

Hazelnut cake

4 egg yolks

25g honey

25g vegetable oil

4 egg whites

60g caster sugar

20g soft flour

10g corn starch

1/2 tsp baking powder

50g ground hazelnut

 

***On the cake part, I followed the sponge cake method, and added 2 tbsp of ground hazelnut.

Coffee butter cream

100g butter

25g icing sugar

1/2 tsp coffee essence

50g whipped cream

***Instead of coffee essence (which I don't have), I used my 3-in-1 coffee powder, and didn't really have much coffee taste..so I guessed next round, gotta use the essence

Chocolate cream

120g whipped cream

5g rum (optional)

100g dark chocolate (melted)

50g whipped cream

Chocolate ganache

100g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces

90ml heavy whipping cream

15g unsalted butter

Methods

1. Almond/Hazelnut cake: Whisk egg yolks, honey and vegetable oil until fluffy. Mix soft flour, corn starch, baking powder and almond/hazelnut well. Whisk egg whites and sugar until stiff peak. Fold in egg yolks mixture. Fold in powder mixture. Pour into tray and bake at preheated oven at 180C for 10-15mins. (if you are using the sponge cake method, plz follow the link above)

2. Coffee cream: Cream butter and icing sugar. Add coffee essence and fold in cream.

3. Chocolate cream: Mix all the ingredients together.

4. Chocolate ganache: Placed the chopped chocolates in a heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolates and allow to stand, without stirring, for a few minutes. Stir gently with a spoon or whisk until smooth.

5. Assembly: Cut cake into 4 slices (2 slices each for almond/hazelnut cake) after cool. Placed one slice of hazelnut cake and spread chocolate cream on top. placed one slice of almond and hazelnut cake. Spread chocolate cream on top. Layer another almond cake on top. Spread coffee buttercream on top. Glaze with chocolate ganache. Pipe the word "Opera" in the middle.

***as for me, I dvided teh cake into 3 slices. Cake - chocolate cream - cake - chocolate cream - cake - coffee buttercream - chocolate ganache.

Sponge Cake

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup (35 grams) sifted cake flour
3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1/2 cup (100 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar (divided) (you may wish to cut down the sugar portion to 60-80g, which I usually do)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

 

Methods

While the eggs are still cold separate two of the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. To the yolks, add the additional yolk, and the two remaining eggs. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the flour with the cornstarch.

Place the egg yolks and whole eggs, along with 1/2 cup (100grams) of the sugar, in your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for five minutes, or until thick, pale yellow and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Then beat in the vanilla extract. Sift half the flour mixture over the beaten egg mixture and fold in gently with a rubber spatula, just until the flour is incorporated. Sift the remaining flour mixture into the batter and fold in.

In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the remaining one tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites.

 

Bake for 30-35mins in a preheated oven, 170C.

**As I am using two 8" cake mould, I divided the batter into half, and bake for 20mins.

 

Strawberry Yoghurt Cake 士多啤梨乳酪蛋糕

23.7.13 (Tues)

I have always wanted to bake a strawberry cake but couldn't find sweet and cheap strawberry..Luckily, a friend of mine went to Cameron Highlands and got me 2 packets of strawberries, cost RM10..around 35pcs..which was reasonable and they were really sweet and fresh.

 

So here I go..Initially I thought it wasn't an easy recipe especially the part on strawberry fililngs..but to my surprise..everything went on smoothly and the cake was simply irresistible! Abby gonna jump up and down as she loves to eat strawberries!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

Cake

4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup (35 grams) sifted cake flour
3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1/2 cup (100 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar (divided) (you may wish to cut down the sugar portion to 80-100g)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

 

Filling

150g strawberry yoghurt

50g caster sugar

8 strawberries (estimation)

200g strawberry puree (I bought a packet of strawberry fillings from the bakery shop, 300g for RM5.40)

300g whipped cream

15g (3 tsp) gelatine powder, 60ml water

 

Glaze

Piping jelly

 

Methods

Cake:
While the eggs are still cold separate two of the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. To the yolks, add the additional yolk, and the two remaining eggs. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the flour with the cornstarch.

Place the egg yolks and whole eggs, along with 1/2 cup (100grams) of the sugar, in your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachemnt. Beat on high speed for five minutes, or until thick, pale yellow and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Then beat in the vanilla extract. Sift half the flour mixture over the beaten egg mixture and fold in gently with a rubber spatula, just until the flour is incorporated. Sift the remaining flour mixture into the batter and fold in.

In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the remaining one tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites.

 

Bake for 30-35mins in a preheated oven, 170C.

 

Fillings:

Mix strawberry yoghurt and sugar. Add in chopped strawberries and strawberry puree together. Add gelatine (dissolve gelatine powder and water over hot water). Fold in whipped cream.

 

Assembly:

SLice the cake into 2 pcs after cool. Place a slice of cake on a loosen bottomed cake mould. Place chopped strawberries and fillings. Repeat placing the other slice of cake on top. Pour the fillings over it. Chill in the refirgerator to set. Then decorate as desired. Brush a thin layer of piping jelly as glaze.

 

 

Never forget to 'Think Outside of the Box.'

A short test of how you think

This is a test....

You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think before you continue reading.

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application. You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first. Or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS...................

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: 'I would give the car keys to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams.'

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations.

Never forget to 'Think Outside of the Box.'

Never Forget Your Past. It's Your Best Teacher

BILL GATES in a restaurant.

After eating, he gave 5$ to the waiter as a tip.
The waiter had a strange feeling on his face after the tip.
Gates realized & asked....

What happened?
Waiter: I'm just amazed Bcoz on the same table ur son gave tip Of... 500$... & u his Father, richest man in the world Only Gave 5$...?

 Gates Smiled & Replied With Meaningful words:
"He is Son of the world's richest man, but i am the son of a wood cutter..."

( Never Forget Your Past. It's Your Best Teacher. )