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Cuban Opera Cake recipe
Cake ingredients
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crème de cacao
1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee, lukewarm
Buttercream ingredients
8 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
Coffee Mousse ingredients
1/2 cup half and half
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin softened in 1 tablespoon water 10
minutes
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
chopped
For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with
2-inch-high sides; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Dust
pans with flour; tap out excess. Melt chocolate in top of double
boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted and smooth.
Remove from over water. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk flour, baking soda,
and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter,
and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating
well after each addition and stopping occasionally to scrape down
sides of bowl. Gradually beat in lukewarm melted chocolate. Beat in
dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2
additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Gradually beat
in crème de cacao and coffee. Divide batter evenly between prepared
pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean,
about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Invert
cakes onto 9-inch cardboard rounds or removable tart pan bottoms;
cool cakes completely on racks.
For buttercream:
Melt milk chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water,
stirring until smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk sugar, egg
yolks, 2 tablespoons water, and corn syrup in medium metal bowl to
blend. Add 1/4 cup butter. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering
water; whisk constantly until mixture reaches 170°F, about 4
minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat
until completely cool and thick, about 6 minutes. Gradually beat in
1/2 cup butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, fully incorporating
each addition and stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of
bowl. Beat in lukewarm melted chocolate.
For coffee mousse:
Bring half and half, 2 tablespoons sugar, and espresso powder to
simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk egg yolks and
remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually
whisk hot half and half mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to
saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until thermometer
registers 160°F, about 2 minutes. Pour into large bowl. Add softened
gelatin; stir until dissolved. Using electric mixer, beat until
cool, about 10 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat cream and
vanilla in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream
into coffee mixture.
Cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer in
bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Cover with 3/4 cup
buttercream. Place second cake layer atop buttercream; cover with
mousse. Top with third cake layer. Refrigerate 1 hour to allow
mousse to set. Spread 3/4 cup buttercream over third cake layer. Top
with fourth cake layer (cake will rise above rim of pan). Cover and
refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
For chocolate glaze:
Stir sugar and 1 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat until
sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Whisk in
cocoa; remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Let
stand until cool but still pourable, about 2 hours.
Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Scrape
excess mousse from sides of cake. Transfer cake on springform pan
bottom to rack set over baking sheet. Pour glaze over cake, allowing
glaze to drip down edges onto baking sheet (use spatula to spread
glaze over any uncovered spots). Refrigerate at least 2 hours to
allow glaze to set. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let
stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
Makes 12 servings.
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