Name: Opera
Yield: 2 frames (16 × 16 cm)
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 125 g Egg whites; 25 g Superfine sugar; 215 g Eggs; 100 g Powdered sugar; 100 g Almond powder; 50 g All-purpose flour (T65); 35 g Butter; 250 g 60°Bx syrup; 50 g Strong coffee; 5 g Coffee extract (Trablit); 200 g Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter); 240 g Heavy cream (35%); 20 g Butter; 125 g 2% milk; 25 g Coffee beans; 60 g Egg yolks; 90 g Superfine sugar; 235 g Butter; 5 g Coffee extract (Trablit); 150 g Dark compound chocolate; 75 g Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter); 30 g Grapeseed oil; 100 g Dark compound chocolate; 100 g Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter)

Joconde sponge

Ingredient	Grams
Egg whites	125 g
Superfine sugar	25 g
Eggs	215 g
Powdered sugar	100 g
Almond powder	100 g
All-purpose flour (T65)	50 g
Butter	35 g
Total	650 g

Whip the egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks.
In another bowl, whip the eggs with the sifted powdered sugar and the almond flour to the ribbon stage.
Fold the sifted flour gently into the whipped eggs.
Fold in the whipped whites, then the melted butter.
Spread the batter on a silicone mat.
Bake at 170 °C (350 °F) for 8 minutes.
Cut six 16 × 16 cm squares, three for each opera.

Coffee syrup

Ingredient	Grams
60°Bx syrup	250 g
Strong coffee	50 g
Coffee extract (Trablit)	5 g
Total	305 g

Stir the syrup, coffee and coffee extract (Trablit) together.

Dark chocolate ganache

Ingredient	Grams	% of chocolate
Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter)	200 g	100%
Heavy cream (35%)	240 g	120%
Butter	20 g	10%
Total	460 g

Bring the cream and butter to a simmer.
Pour over the chopped chocolate and blend well into a smooth emulsion.
Let it set partly before using.

English buttercream

Ingredient	Grams
2% milk	125 g
Coffee beans	25 g
Egg yolks	60 g
Superfine sugar	90 g
Butter	235 g
Coffee extract (Trablit)	5 g
Total	540 g

Heat the milk with the coffee beans and leave to steep for 15 minutes.
Strain, weigh the milk again and reheat it.
Whisk the yolks and sugar until pale, then mix in some of the hot milk.
Cook it all to 84 °C (183 °F).
Whip the custard with the whisk until it cools to 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F).
Add the butter in cubes and whip until smooth and glossy, with a little coffee extract if needed.
Use right away.

Opera glaze

Ingredient	Grams
Dark compound chocolate	150 g
Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter)	75 g
Grapeseed oil	30 g
Total	255 g

Melt the compound chocolate with the chocolate.
Stir in the grapeseed oil until well combined.
Use it at 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F) on a cake chilled to 4 °C (40 °F).

Assembly and finishing

Ingredient	Grams
Dark compound chocolate	100 g
Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter)	100 g
Total	200 g

For each opera, spread melted compound chocolate on one Joconde square.
Turn it chocolate side down into a 16 × 16 cm frame and soak it with coffee syrup.
Spread 150 g of buttercream, lay on a second square and soak it.
Spread 200 g of ganache, lay on the last square and soak it.
Finish with 80 g of buttercream and refrigerate.
Glaze the top with the opera glaze at 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F).
Trim the edges with a hot knife.
Melt the extra bitter 61% chocolate and pipe the writing and a chocolate frieze with a paper cone.

For bakers in the US

Powdered sugar: Powdered (confectioners’) sugar; US powdered sugar contains about 3% cornstarch
Almond powder: Almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
All-purpose flour (T65): French type 65 flour; in the US, all-purpose flour
60°Bx syrup: Sugar syrup at 60% sugar by weight (about 3 parts sugar to 2 parts water)
Coffee extract (Trablit): A French concentrated coffee extract
Dark chocolate, 61% (Extra Bitter): A 61% dark chocolate (Valrhona Extra Bitter)
Heavy cream (35%): Heavy whipping cream (US heavy cream is 36 to 40% fat)
Dark compound chocolate: Coating chocolate made with vegetable fat (pâte à glacer); sets glossy without tempering
Frame: A bottomless square cake frame, 16 × 16 cm

Opera