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Opera Torte

post #1 of 14
7/24/02 at 6:37pm
Thread Starter 
I am interested in making the Opera Torte from Chocolate Passion but I remember Wendy saying to use your own cake. The recipe calls for almond biscuit but I don't know if its just the recipe for almond biscuit that was not good or almond biscuit is not a good type of cake to use for the Opera Torte. Another recipe I found else where calls for Jaconde. Has anyone made this Torte and what cake worked for you and or you were quite pleased with?
Thanks:confused:
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post #2 of 14
7/24/02 at 6:56pm
Hi oli,

First I must say that I am by no means a pastry chef,but the times I have come in contact with Opera cake are many.

I do not have my pastry chefs recipe,but he calls his biscuit "joconde"

I have no proportions but almonf flour,10x,ap flour,whole eggs,egg whits,sugar,butter,dried egg whites are what he uses to make his Joconde.

Momoreg..help,does this make sense?
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post #3 of 14
7/25/02 at 8:25am
I looked in my notes from school and the opera cake recipe calls for jaconde. I would post the recipe, but for some reason, I can't find it right now. I will post it when I find it if someone else doesn't beat me to it.
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post #4 of 14
7/25/02 at 1:29pm
Almond joconde is the classical cake used for the opera torte. Although I was just looking in my book from J&W (from back in the ice age), and they claim that the opera torte is choc. sponge with ganache and rasp. preserves! I don't know where they got that information from, but I guess that's what I was originally taught . Horror!:eek:
Anyway, it's an almond joconde with mocha buttercream, ganache, and choc coating. Make sure you soak the layers in a Kahlua syrup.:lips:
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post #5 of 14
7/25/02 at 7:32pm
i thought i could send this as a link-


http://www.pastrychef.com/htmlpages/recipe.html

if this doesnt work go to pastrychef.com/recipe showcase

there is a rather explicit recipe on the Opera Torte

there was also a thread on this last year

hope this helps
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post #6 of 14
7/25/02 at 9:30pm

japonaise??

somehow this enters my mind...... almond meringue layer with the lovely layers of chocolate sponge, raspberry and ganach.
Japonaise is another word for almond meringue with a hint of starch, toasted rough ground almonds, whites and sugar.

light and altogether too rich but oh so yummy.:bounce:
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post #7 of 14
7/26/02 at 4:17am
You sure about Japonais, m?
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post #8 of 14
7/26/02 at 4:35am
I'm sorry Oli, I got side tracked and forgot all about your message.

This isn't a "classic" opera from Chocolate Passion book it's called white chocolate opera cake.

MY notes on the almond biscuit published with it was " the nuts leave too much texture". At the time I didn't have almond flour, instead I followed their dirrections and ground my own almonds. I liked the cake....just not the biscuit texture because my almonds weren't fine enough.

Use almond flour instead of grinding your own and the recipe is fine. The white chocolate glaze is a great proportion for a white choc. ganche....it's thick and opaque.

P.S. I didn't use the b & b liquer through-out...not into that flavor.
HTH
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post #9 of 14
7/26/02 at 6:56am
Momo,

MBrown's description of «Japonaise» doesn't sound bad to me with the exception of the coarse ground almonds. Here my version with hazelnuts:

Hazelnut Japonaise:
3 ounces (about 1 cup) hazelnuts, ground (do not over-grind)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

The classic ingredients for a japonaise are: almond flour (fine), cornstarch, egg whites and sugar.
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post #10 of 14
7/26/02 at 7:04am
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys. That what I like about this site, so many helpful folks with years of experience. I know about the recipe from PastryChef's website, just never tried any and just wanted to confirm that jaconde is the way to go. I will also give the almond meringue layer a try because that sounds good too.

One more question, what have you guys used in place of Mocha Paste that is used in the recipe from PastryChef's web site?

I just love this site. What a great bunch of guys.:)
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post #11 of 14
7/26/02 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 
LotusCakeStudio
Thank you, I would like to take a look at your recipe, if you don't mind posting it. Just like to make comparisons between all the suggestions.
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post #12 of 14
7/26/02 at 6:58pm
Kimmie, it's not that the Japonais sounds bad to me. I've made it many times. But I don't know that it's traditionally in an opera torte.

Oli, You can make your own mocha paste with cocoa and espresso powder, with some warm water.
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post #13 of 14
7/27/02 at 5:03pm
There is a version of Japonaise made with almonds. It's refer to as a white Japonaise.
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post #14 of 14
7/29/02 at 7:40am
Got you, Momo. I think the classic opera torte is made with Joconde (almond sponge cake). :)
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