Gluten Free Opera Cake

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Whether you like chocolate and coffee, this cake magically combines them both so perfectly! A gluten free Opera cake, which is a traditional French dessert, made of almond cake layers filled with coffee cream and dark chocolate shiny ganache. It’s so tasty and perfect for everyone who avoid gluten, and also for Passover.

Gluten Free Opera Cake

Photo: Natalie Levin



Gluten Free Opera Cake

20*20 cm cake pan

For almond biscuit:
5 large eggs
180 grams sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
120 grams almond meal
80 grams cornstarch

For coffee cream:
400 ml. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
80 grams sugar
40 grams cornstarch
125 grams butter
1 tbsp. granulated coffee
2-3 tbsp. boiling water

For dark chocolate ganache:
250 ml. heavy cream
250 grams chopped dark chocolate
1 tbsp. corn syrup

For coffee syrup:
100 ml. water
100 grams sugar
30 ml. expresso

Decoration:
100 grams dark chocolate
Crushed cocoa beans
edible gold dust

Preparation:

  1. Almond biscuit: preheat oven to 175c degrees and lightly grease 2 baking papers on 2 baking trays.
  2. In a mixer bowl whip eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla at high speed for 5-6 minutes or until fluffy and creamy.
  3. Add in almond meal and cornstarch and fold until a smooth batter is formed.
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and level the top smoothly.
  5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch.
  6. Cool completely and cut into 3 squares about 20 * 20 cm in size (it may be necessary to cut a square from 2 halves).
  7. Coffee cream: in a small pot heat milk and vanilla to a simmer.
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth.
  9. Pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly until smooth.
  10. Return the mixture into the pot with the remaining milk and mix.
  11. Cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until a thick pastry cream is formed.
  12. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Beat well until completely dissolved.
  13. Transfer the cream into a flat container, cover the surface with plastic wrap (in order to avoid crust formation), and cool for 2-3 hours until completely cold.
  14. Transfer the cold cream into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
  15. In a small bowl, mix coffee and water until melted. Add into the cream and whisk until incorporated. Refrigerate until assembling the cake.
  16. Dark chocolate ganache: in a small pot heat cream and corn syrup to simmering point.
  17. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, wait a minute, and beat until a uniform and shiny chocolate ganache is formed.
  18. Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  19. Coffee syrup: in a small pot heat water and sugar to a strong boil. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
  20. Add in the espresso and mix well.
  21. Cool completely before using.
  22. Assemble the cake: place the bottom layer of almond biscuit in a 20*20 cm square pan. Gently brush with coffee syrup.
  23. Pour about 1/2 of coffee cream and flatten the top.
  24. Place another layer of almond biscuit on top of the cream and brush with syrup.
  25. Pour over about 1/2 amount of ganache and flatten.
  26. Over the ganache, place the third layer of almond biscuit and brush with syrup.
  27. Pour on the remaining coffee cream, flatten evenly, and then pour the remaining ganache. Flatten the top with a spatula.
  28. Cool the cake in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight).
  29. Decoration: melt the chocolate in the microwave or over double-boiler.
  30. Pour the melted chocolate onto baking paper and spread using a spatula in a thin layer.
  31. Sprinkle with crushed cocoa beans and a little gold dust and cool for a few minutes in the refrigerator until partly set.
  32. Cut 6-7 cm circles with a cookies cutter and freeze for 10 minutes until completely set.
  33. Extract the cake from the pan, cut about 1/4 cm of each side (in order for the layers to be seen beautifully) and decorate with chocolate disks.

Notes:

  • Keep the cake in a closed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Gluten Free Opera Cake

Photo: Natalie Levin