California Raisin opera cake
by Carmen Lim
@ 06 May 2014
California Raisin Paste
1.2kg California raisins
350ml orange juice
280ml pineapple juice
50g sugar
4g pectin NH
California Raisin Cream
300g egg yolks
150g sugar
750ml milk
750g whipping cream (35%)
1.5kg California raisin paste (see recipe above)
12g gelatine sheets, bloomed
Light Chocolate Cream
300g egg yolks
150g sugar
750ml milk
750g whipping cream (35%)
780g Valrhona dark chocolate Tainori (64%)
8g gelatine sheets, bloomed
Coffee Syrup
1.7 ltr water
600g sugar
40g (each) Nescafé and Trablit
(or good coffee extract)
Opera Glaze
1kg pate a glacer noire
400g Valrhona dark chocolate Tainori (64%)
150ml grape seed oil
Biscuit Jaconde
480g almond powder
450g icing sugar
130g strong flour, sifted
650g whole eggs
780g egg whites
180g sugar
• For the California Raisin paste: Heat a pot of water over a medium heat to a boil. Remove saucepan from the heat and add in the California Raisins. Steep the California Raisins in the hot water for about 2 minutes. Drain away the hot water and add in the orange juice and pineapple juice and steep for another 6 hours. Pour the steeped California Raisin mixture into a food processor and pulse into a paste. Pour the California Raisin paste into a saucepan and add in the sugar and pectin NH and cook until sugar has dissolved, for about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat and set aside the California Raisin paste to cool.
• For the California Raisin cream: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over a low heat to a boil. Remove saucepan from the heat and gradually add the heated mixture into the whisked egg yolk mixture and whisk well. Return saucepan to the stove and cook the cream mixture until it reaches 82°C. Add in the California Raisin paste and bloomed gelatine and cook until California Raisin cream is smooth.
• For the light chocolate cream: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over a low heat to a boil. Remove saucepan from the heat and gradually add the heated mixture into the whisked egg yolk mixture and whisk well. Return saucepan to the stove and cook the cream mixture until it reaches 82°C. Add in the dark chocolate and bloomed gelatine and whisk until gelatine has dissolved and light chocolate cream is glossy.
• For the coffee syrup: Heat 1.7 liters of water in a saucepan over a medium heat to a boil. Add in the sugar, Nescafé and coffee extract and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Remove saucepan from the heat and set aside the coffee syrup to cool.
• For the opera glaze: Heat all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat until smooth and shiny.
• For the biscuit jaconde: Place the almond powder, icing sugar and sifted strong flour into an electric mixer bowl with a paddle attachment. Make a well in the centre of the almond mixture. Add in the whole eggs one at a time and beat on a low speed until mixture comes clean from the mixer bowl. Set aside. Whip the egg whites in another mixer bowl and gradually add in the sugar and whip until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped egg whites into the almond batter. Pour the batter into 3 parchment paper-lined baking pans and bake in a pre-heated oven at 210°C for about 12 minutes. Remove and invert the biscuit jaconde onto a wire rack to cool.
• Brush the cooled biscuit jaconde with the coffee syrup and then spread a layer of California Raisin cream; followed by another layer of biscuit jaconde and then the coffee syrup. Spread a layer of light chocolate cream and followed by biscuit jaconde and then the coffee syrup. Lastly spread with another layer of California
Raisin cream. Chill the California Raisin opera cake in the refrigerator. Once chilled, glaze with the opera glaze.
Makes one cake
