Description
This Classic French Opera Cake is a luxurious layered dessert featuring almond sponge, coffee syrup, dark chocolate ganache, coffee buttercream, almond coffee mousse, and a shiny milk chocolate mirror glaze, finished elegantly with edible gold leaf. Perfect for special occasions, it combines rich flavors and delicate textures for an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cocoa Biscuit Base with Coffee
- 125 g digestive or butter biscuits
- 60 g melted butter
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp espresso powder
- Pinch of salt
- A bit of melted milk chocolate (for sticking layers)
Joconde Almond Sponge (2 layers)
- 170 g almond flour
- 105 g caster sugar
- 200 g eggs
- 130 g egg whites
- 55 g caster sugar (for meringue)
- 35 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g melted butter
Coffee Syrup
- 50 g caster sugar
- 3 tsp espresso powder
- 60 ml water
- 2 tbsp Kahlua (optional, or swap with more coffee/brandy/cognac)
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 250 g dark chocolate (55%)
- 25 g butter, softened
Chocolate Coffee Crunch
- 45 g milk chocolate
- 1 tbsp Nutella
- 65 g feuilletine (or crushed cornflakes)
- 2 tsp espresso powder
- Pinch of salt
French Coffee Buttercream
- 3½ tsp espresso powder
- 1½ tbsp boiling water (to dissolve espresso)
- 50 ml water
- 120 g caster sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 230 g butter, room temperature
Almond Coffee Mousse (for enrobing)
- 2⅓ gelatin sheets (1.75 g each, bloom 240)
- 80 g white chocolate
- 80 g almond nut paste (made from roasted blanched almonds, icing sugar, and neutral oil)
- 300 ml heavy cream (115 ml to heat + 185 ml to whip)
- 1½ tsp espresso powder
Milk Chocolate Mirror Glaze
- 6 gelatin sheets (1.75 g each, bloom 240)
- 150 g milk chocolate
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 50 ml water
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 g glucose syrup
- Optional: red, yellow, black, white food coloring paste
Final Garnish
- Edible gold leaf sheets
Instructions
- Prepare Cocoa Biscuit Base with Coffee: Crush the digestive or butter biscuits into fine crumbs and mix with melted butter, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and a pinch of salt until combined. Press the mixture into a lined baking pan and chill to set. Use melted milk chocolate to stick layers later as needed.
- Make Joconde Almond Sponge: Whisk almond flour with 105 g caster sugar and whole eggs until light. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with 55 g caster sugar to stiff peaks to make meringue. Gently fold the meringue into the almond batter, sift in flour, then fold again. Lastly, fold in melted butter. Spread evenly on baking sheets and bake until lightly golden. Prepare two layers.
- Prepare Coffee Syrup: Heat caster sugar, espresso powder, and water until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in Kahlua or desired liquor. Allow to cool.
- Make Dark Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream until just boiling, then pour over chopped dark chocolate. Allow to sit for a minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy. Add softened butter and mix well. Let it cool and thicken slightly before use.
- Prepare Chocolate Coffee Crunch: Melt milk chocolate and mix with Nutella, feuilletine, espresso powder, and a pinch of salt. Spread the mixture onto a lined tray in a thin layer and chill until firm.
- Make French Coffee Buttercream: Dissolve espresso powder in boiling water. In a saucepan, combine water and caster sugar and heat to soft ball stage (about 115°C or 240°F). While heating, whisk egg yolks. Slowly pour hot sugar syrup into egg yolks whisking constantly to create a thick zabaglione. Let cool slightly, then beat in room temperature butter gradually until smooth and creamy.
- Prepare Almond Coffee Mousse: Bloom gelatin sheets in cold water. Heat 115 ml heavy cream and dissolve the bloomed gelatin in the warm cream. Combine with white chocolate and almond nut paste, stirring until smooth. Whip remaining 185 ml cream to soft peaks and fold carefully into the mixture. Stir in espresso powder.
- Assemble Opera Cake Layers: On the cocoa biscuit base, layer one Joconde sponge brushed with coffee syrup, spread a layer of coffee buttercream, then a layer of dark chocolate ganache, followed by the chocolate coffee crunch layer. Top with the second Joconde sponge layer brushed with coffee syrup. Apply a thin layer of coffee buttercream and chill to set.
- Enrobe with Almond Coffee Mousse: Pour the almond coffee mousse evenly over the layered cake to cover all sides and smooth with a spatula. Refrigerate until set.
- Prepare Milk Chocolate Mirror Glaze: Bloom gelatin sheets in cold water. Heat water, glucose syrup, caster sugar, and heavy cream until boiling. Remove from heat and add chopped milk chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add dissolved gelatin and optional food coloring if desired. Let cool to about 30°C (86°F).
- Glaze the Cake: Place the cake on a wire rack over a tray and pour the cooled mirror glaze evenly over the mousse enrobed cake ensuring full coverage. Allow glaze to set in the refrigerator.
- Final Garnish: Carefully apply edible gold leaf sheets to the top of the cake for a luxurious finishing touch. Chill the cake fully before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use fresh espresso powder for the best coffee flavor.
- Bloom gelatin sheets properly in cold water before use to avoid lumps.
- Feuilletine provides a delicate crunch, but crushed cornflakes can be a good substitute.
- Let the mirror glaze cool to the right temperature to avoid melting the mousse layer.
- Keep all components chilled between assembly steps to ensure clean layers and easy handling.
- The cake can be made a day ahead and refrigerated to enhance flavors.
- Optional liquor in the coffee syrup can be omitted for a non-alcoholic version.
- Prep Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Dessert, Cake
- Method: Baking, Layering, Glazing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 1142
- Sugar: 82g
- Sodium: 387mg
- Fat: 78g
- Saturated Fat: 41g
- Unsaturated Fat: 31g
- Trans Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 97g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 293mg
Keywords: Opera Cake, French Dessert, Coffee Cake, Chocolate Cake, Layered Cake, Almond Cake, Mirror Glaze Cake
