L'Opera Cake ~ Daring Bakers

Epicurious.com states

"There are many stories about the origins of this cake, known as both Clichy cake and Opéra cake. Many believe that Louis Clichy was its creator because he premiered the gâteau, with his name written across the top, at the 1903 Exposition Culinaire in Paris. It became the signature cake of Clichy's shop on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. However, another pastry shop, Dalloyau, sold a very similar dessert, known as L'Opéra (in honor of the Paris Opera), and some claim that theirs was the original."

This month was the hardest challenge to date for me ( ok I bailed on the French bread that would have been the hardest)


The Joconde


First step was the Joconde.

Sarah Says: A Joconde is an almond sponge cake. This biscuit is named for the Mona Lisa (La Joconda in French). Americans spell the name for this cake as "jaconde" instead of "joconde"; "joconde" is the proper term. In addition to containing almonds, it differs from other sponge cakes by having whole eggs (rather than just yolks) beaten with sugar and ground almonds before the meringue is folded in. Joconde is baked in thin layers on baking sheets. Joconde is used to make linings for the outsides of charlottes, a traditional French raspberry mousse cake, and other Bavarian mousse cakes.

This step was ok for me but it was the very first Meringue I had ever made. I think I will do that again and maybe even make a few things I had in France as a kid (this is of course if I could remember what there names where).

The Syrup

This was really easy and I only added Vanilla to it.




The Butter Cream

This was the second time I have done a butter cream. I did it just like the challenge said to and I added Raspberry flavor to it. I didn't add enough though for it had to compete with the other flavors. But it looked pretty

For the white chocolate ganache/mousse

I always wondered what a ganache was and now I know. This was hard!!!! I messed up the white chocolate and had to go buy more. But I new what I did wrong and was able to make it work the second time. I added mint flavor to much, but hey it tasted good!

Assembly time

First the Joconde, Syrup and, the Butter cream. Then again




Then the ganache. Once that was over I put it in the fridge so it would set.

then the Glaze

I learned from my first white chocolate melting attempt and so I did it right.........

But as you can see I got ahead of myself. I didn't let it cool enough and the result a BIG mess.

I was still able to cut it and get a few pictures.

After the first bite. It was really good!

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