Daring Bakers Challenge - Éclairs

Wow, I definitely almost forgot to post this. I guess I'm just so excited to have a three day weekend! Well, here it goes...

First, thanks to the hosts, Tony Tahhan and MeetaK, who chose the recipe.

I was extremely excited when I found out this month's challenge was eclairs. Just one day prior to finding out, I made pâte à choux (eclair/cream puff dough) on my first day at my new bakery job. They didn't expect me to do it right. "No one gets it right on the first try." But I sure did get it right! :) So I was really anxious to do it again for my Daring Bakers challenge. I made vanilla pastry cream for the filling, because my dad is the eclair-lover in the family, and that's how he likes them. My first attempt at this challenge didn't turn out so well. My eclairs deflated while cooling and were gummy in the middle. I assumed I had experienced beginner's luck at work. But I tried again the same day and magic happened! I made half shaped like eclairs and the other half like cream puffs. The puffed up perfectly and stayed nice and puffy after cooling. They were very delicious, and I was quite proud of myself. I added some raspberry flavoring and red food coloring to half of the filling just to provide some variety.

Here is the recipe with my notes and photos. Enjoy!

Boiling the butter and liquid Adding the flour
Cooking the dough
Adding the eggs
The finished choux dough
Éclairs going into the oven
Door ajar halfway through baking
Vanilla pastry cream cooling
Aww, the first eclairs died...
They were very gummy in the middle (I don't think I baked them long enough).
The second batch came out perfectly. (See recipe below for my changes to the baking method.)
Filling the eclairs and glazing the tops
Don't use cheap plastic bags to pipe icing... They break easily!
What a mess...
The finished eclairs!
Raspberry cream puffs!

To see how everyone else faired with this month's challenge, visit the Daring Bakers' Blogroll.

Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs (makes 20-24 éclairs [I got 17])
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
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Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough

• ½ cup (125g) whole milk
• ½ cup (125g) water
• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

Notes:
• Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.
• You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking
sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the
boil.
2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium
and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very
quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. (I removed the pan from the heat at this point.) You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.
3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your
handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand (I like to do it by hand. It's not difficult at all). Add the eggs one at a time (I beat them lightly in a separate bowl and added them about 1/4 cup at a time), beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon. (My dough was very thick and not very shiny, but it worked out fine.)
4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs.
5) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.
6) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 4-1/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.
7) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. (I followed these instructions the first time, and my éclairs failed. The second time I baked them for 12 minutes, then rotated the pans, and baked for 12 more minutes (keeping the oven door shut), or until golden brown. I then turned the oven off and let the éclairs cool with the door ajar for 30 minutes. I finished cooling them on a wire rack for 1 hour.) The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes. The éclairs should be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.
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Chocolate Pastry Cream (I used vanilla pastry cream, recipe below)

• 2 cups (500g) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp (75g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted
• 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan.
2) Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture.Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.
3) Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat.
4) Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.
5) Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.
Notes:
•The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
•In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.
•Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.
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Vanilla Pastry Cream
Recipe from Baking... by Dorie Greenspan

• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1) Boil the milk and vanilla in a small saucepan. As this is heating, in a medium saucepan whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch, until thick and well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about 3/4 cup of the hot milk in order to warm the yolks. Continue whisking as you slowly add the rest of the milk. Put the pan over medium heat and whisk constantly, bringing it to a boil. Keep mixture at a boil, continuing to whisk, for about 1/2 minutes, and remove from heat.
2) Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the butter until the pieces are fully incorporated. The pastry cream will be smooth and silky, not clumpy. Scrape cream into a bowl and let it cool off. Place a piece of plastic wrap right onto the surface of the cream so it doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate until it is cold and ready to use. Keeps for up to 3 days.
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Chocolate Glaze (makes 1 cup)

• 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
• 3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature

1)In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.
2) Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.
Notes:
• If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.
• It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate Sauce (makes 1½ cups or 525 g) (I halved this recipe when I made it)

• 4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 g) water
• ½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar

1) Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.
2) It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.
Notes:
• You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using.
• This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.
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Assembling the éclairs:

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the
bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.
2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40
degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of
the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the
bottoms with the pastry cream.
3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms
with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream
and wriggle gently to settle them.
Notes:
• If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water,
stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create
bubbles.
• The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Daring Bakers Challenge - Danish Braid (1 Sweet & 1 Savory)

This month was a great challenge. I'd definitely say it's my second favorite, only rivaled by the Perfect Party Cake. I was extremely intimidated when I found out that the challenge involved making your own puff pastry... AND also using yeast. I'd never done either, and I had just recently seen the episode of Good Eats about puff pastry. Alton Brown made it clear that making your own puff pastry is a hassle. So, after reading the recipe about 10 times I finally mustered up enough courage to get started. I knew I didn't want to do the apple filling, and Bing cherries were on sale... How convenient! I looked up a recipe for cherry filling and made that 2 days ahead of time. It's supposed to be for pies, but if you drain off most of the liquid and pulse it in a food processor, it makes a great filling for the danish. The next day I got started on the dough, but not before reading other people's stories on the DB forum. A lot of people were saying that their dough was really sticky, their yeast wasn't activating, their braid wasn't rising... UH OH! I was really scared! But alas, my dough situation went smoothly. My only problem was that I had to add 1/4 cup more flour before I could knead the dough, because it was quite sticky. Here's the whole story of my Cherry Cheese Braid!
UPDATE: I used the 2nd half of my dough to make a savory Spinach & Feta Braid! Pictures and recipe are at the bottom! :)

Ingredients for the dough and the butter block.

Pouring the milk into the yeast.

Yeast mixture ready for flour to be added.

Adding flour 1 cup at a time.

It was REALLY sticky so I added 1/4 cup more flour.

Kneaded and ready to rest overnight in the fridge.

Butter mixture ready to go on the dough.

Butter spread onto the dough (This was tricky, I had to use my hands).

Folded in thirds for the 1st turn.

2nd turn.

By the 3rd turn, you could see butter through the thin layers of dough.

After the 4th turn, it stayed overnight in the fridge.

Rolled out, but nowhere near 15x20!

Cherry filling added.

Cream cheese filling on top.

The braiding was the most fun part! :)

The braid ready to be proofed.

After 2 hours, it's supposed to be doubled in volume... well... it wasn't.
But I threw it in the oven anyway.

My Cherry Cheese Braid is finally finished!

It's not very flaky...

But it's EXTREMELY delicious!!!

Thanks so much to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and Ben of What’s Cookin’ for choosing a great recipe! My notes are in orange italics.

DANISH DOUGH
Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough (Enough for TWO braids)

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (This is 1 packet + part of another packet)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated (omit)
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (omit)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (increase to 2 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (omit)
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (substitute water)
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice(water). Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky (I had to add 1/4 cup more). Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK
1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough (The butter stuck to the dough and was pulling the dough all over the floured surface. I had to use my fingers to smear the butter around). Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

APPLE FILLING (I used cherry filling and cream cheese filling; Both recipes are right below this)
Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

CHERRY FILLING (recipe from cooksrecipes.com)
Makes enough for 1 braid; Can be made a few days in advance.

Ingredients
4 cups Bing cherries, rinsed, stemmed and pitted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl, stir and let sit for at least 6 hours, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Drain off and reserve cherry syrup.
Combine a small amount of syrup to cornstarch to make a paste, then whisk cornstarch paste back into syrup. Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Stir in the drained cherries and almond extract. Cool, and store in sterilized, airtight jars or freeze in heavy freezer bags. (I kept mine in a glass bowl, covered with plastic wrap for 2 days before using it.) (Before using in the braid, drain most of the liquid off the cherries (reserve liquid as a delicious topping on ice cream!), and pulse cherries in a food processor until desired consistency. I left mine kinda chunky.)

CREAM CHEESE FILLING (my own recipe)
Makes enough for 1 braid; Make right before you're ready to assemble the braid.

Ingredients
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 egg, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put cream cheese, egg yolk, and sugar into a bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in vanilla. Save egg white to brush on top of the braid.

DANISH BRAID
Divide your Danish dough into 2 equal sections. Save the other half for another braid or other Danish pastries.
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick (Mine was 1/4 inch thick, but a few inches smaller than 15x20). If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart (My cuts were less than 5 inches long). Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.
4. Whisk the egg white from the cream cheese filling and lightly brush it on the top of the braid. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top.

Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch (Mine didn't double in volume, but it was very VERY soft to the touch).
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown (Mine was very brown, but did not taste burned at all). Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

Don't forget the savory Spinach & Feta Braid! My cousin, Stephanie C., and I created this with the 2nd half of the dough. Yeah, I know the dough had vanilla in it, but you could barely taste it. I think the proofing step did nothing for this braid. It didn't double in volume. It was exactly the same, but the dough was softer because it came up to room temp. However, while it was proofing, the spinach let out a lot of moisture, soaking the entire bottom of the braid in green spinach juice. No worries though! It came out very VERY tasty!

Filling recipe courtesy of Perfect Greek, A Collection Of Over 100 Essential Recipes from Parragon Publishing.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 lb 4 oz/1 kg fresh young spinach leaves, washed OR 1 lb 2 oz/500 g frozen spinach (We used 2 10 oz packages of frozen spinach. Make sure you drain it VERY well!)
4 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from my herb garden! yay!)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (also from my herb garden!)
3 eggs, beaten
7 oz/200g authentic Greek feta cheese (We used an 8 oz package, but next time I think I'll use a bit more. Here's a tip to save $$: Look for feta cheese in the refrigerated case with the Kraft parmesan cheese and the Bertolli refrigerated products. It's A LOT cheaper than getting it in the case with the exotic cheeses!)
salt and pepper (We used about a pinch of each... NOT ENOUGH! I suggest using 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper)

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, and fry until softened. Add the fresh spinach if using, with only the water clinging to the leaves after washing, or the frozen spinach and cook for 2-5 minutes, until just wilted. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. When the mixture has cooled, add the parsley, dill, and eggs. Crumble in the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Mixture is ready to be used in the braid!

Daring Bakers Challenge - Opéra Cake

All I have to say about this challenge is... I tried. It tasted good, but I didn't go back for a second piece. Maybe I just don't dig on French desserts with fancy French names... Or is it Italian? Blah, who cares. I don't like desserts I have to think about! On the bright side, I'm happy this month's challenge was a cake. The frosting recipe was awesome. I'll definitely use the frosting again! Thanks to Lis, Ivonne, Fran & Shea for hosting! PS: Check out the new Daring Bakers' forum!

Ingredients!Butter the corners of the pan to help the parchment stick.

With 6 eggs in the cake, it's no wonder it smelled like an omelette while baking!

Wrapped and ready for the next day.

Melting white chocolate in a double boiler.

Whipped cream with soft peaks.

Soupy "mousse"...

TRASHED! Hahaha oh well...

The butterscotch buttercream was the best part! It should look like this when finished (no need to refrigerate it to make it thick). It's the texture of very soft butter.

Frosting the layers...

1/4 of the doubled recipe on each layer...

Then the other 1/2 of the doubled recipe covers the whole cake!

Finished product! Let this baby come close to room temp before eating,

unless you like the texture of cold butter...

Recipe (see other people's creations at Daring Bakers' Blogroll):
Opéra Cake (My adaptations are in ORANGE!)
This recipe is based on Opéra Cake recipes in Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty’s Chocolate Passion.

For the joconde
(Note: The joconde can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperature)

What you’ll need:
•2 12½ x 15½-inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans (Note: If you do not have jelly-roll pans this size, do not fear! You can use different-sized jelly-roll pans like 10 x 15-inches.) (I used a 10x15 pan)
•a few tablespoons of melted butter (in addition to what’s called for in the ingredients’ list) and a brush (to grease the pans)
•parchment paper
•a whisk and a paddle attachment for a stand mixer or for a handheld mixer
•two mixing bowls (you can make do with one but it’s preferable to have two)

Ingredients:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbsp. (30 grams) granulated sugar
2 cups (225 grams) ground blanched almonds (Note: If you do not want to use almond meal, you can use another nut meal like hazelnut. You can buy almond meal in bulk food stores or health food stores, or you can make it at home by grinding almonds in the food processor with a tablespoon or two of the flour that you would use in the cake. The reason you need the flour is to prevent the almonds from turning oily or pasty in the processor. You will need about 2 cups of blanched almonds to create enough almond meal for this cake.)
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
6 large eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. (1½ ounces; 45 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Divide the oven into thirds by positioning a rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower third of the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 425◦F. (220◦C).
3. Line two jelly-roll pans with parchment paper and brush with melted butter.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another mixer bowl, gently scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside.
5. If you only have one bowl, wash it after removing the egg whites or if you have a second bowl, use that one. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer again) and beat the almonds, icing sugar and eggs on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just combined (be very careful not to overmix here!!!).
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan.
8. Bake the cake layers until they are lightly browned and just springy to the touch. This could take anywhere from 5 to 9 minutes depending on your oven. (The cake in the top 3rd of the oven was done about 1 minute before the other)
9. Put the pans on a heatproof counter (or cooling rack) and run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cover each with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, turn the pans over, and unmold.
10. Carefully peel away the parchment, then turn the parchment over and use it to cover the cakes. Let the cakes cool to room temperature.

For the syrup
(Note: The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan

Ingredients:
½ cup (125 grams) water
⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. of the flavouring of your choice (i.e., vanilla extract, almond extract, cognac, limoncello, coconut cream, honey etc.) (I used 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to enhance the flavor of the almond meal)

1. Stir all the syrup ingredients together in the saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

For the buttercream (Double this if you plan to frost the whole cake)
(Note: The buttercream can be made up to 1 month in advance and packed in an airtight container. If made way in advance, you can freeze the buttercream. Alternatively you can refrigerate it for up to 4 days after making it. To use the buttercream simply bring it to room temperature and then beat it briefly to restore its consistency.)

What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan
•a candy or instant-read thermometer
•a stand mixer or handheld mixer
•a bowl and a whisk attachment
•rubber spatula

Ingredients:
1 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 grams) water
seeds of one vanilla bean (split a vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds) or 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract (Note: If you are flavouring your buttercream and do not want to use the vanilla, you do not have to. Vanilla will often enhance other flavours but if you want an intense, one-flavoured buttercream, then by all means leave it out!) (I used 1 tbsp butterscotch liqueur)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1¾ sticks (7 ounces; 200 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
flavouring of your choice (a tablespoon of an extract, a few tablespoons of melted white chocolate, citrus zest, etc.) (I used 1 teaspoon butterscotch liqueur)

1. Combine the sugar, water and vanilla bean seeds or extract (or liqueur) in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.
2. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 225◦F (107◦C) [*Note: Original recipe indicates a temperature of 255◦F (124◦C), however, when testing the recipe I found that this was too high so we heated to 225◦F and it worked fine] on a candy or instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the syrup from the heat.
3. While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg and egg yolk at high speed in the bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk them until they are pale and foamy.
4. When the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature and you remove it from the heat, reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly (very slowly) pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl being very careful not to splatter the syrup into the path of the whisk attachment. Some of the syrup will spin onto the sides of the bowl but don’t worry about this and don’t try to stir it into the mixture as it will harden! (After this, get that saucepan in some hot water, because that sugar syrup dries hard as a rock!)
5. Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are thick and satiny and the mixture is cool to the touch (about 5 minutes or so).
6. While the egg mixture is beating, place the softened butter in a bowl and mash it with a spatula until you have a soft creamy mass. (This step isn't necessary)
7. With the mixer on medium speed, begin adding in two-tablespoon chunks (Wait about 10 seconds between each addition). When all the butter has been incorporated, raise the mixer speed to high and beat until the buttercream is thick and shiny.
8. At this point add in your flavouring and beat for an additional minute or so.
9. Refrigerate the buttercream, stirring it often, until it’s set enough (firm enough) to spread when topped with a layer of cake (about 20 minutes). (If you make the buttercream properly, it does not need to go into the refrigerator. It thickens up just like Swiss meringue buttercream. If it's too soft you haven't whipped it long enough on high speed.)

For the white chocolate ganache/mousse (this step is optional – please see Assembling an Opéra Cake below)
(Note: The mousse can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.)

What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan
•a mixer or handheld mixer

Ingredients:
7 ounces white chocolate
1 cup plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream (35% cream)
1 tbsp. liquer of your choice (Bailey’s, Amaretto, etc.)

1. Melt the white chocolate and the 3 tbsp. of heavy cream in a small saucepan. (I did this in a double boiler because I've always heard not to put chocolate in contact with direct heat.)
2. Stir to ensure that it’s smooth and that the chocolate is melted. Add the tablespoon of liqueur to the chocolate and stir. Set aside to cool completely.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form (You should probably whip it almost to stiff peaks, but be careful not to over mix or it will become butter).
4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to form a mousse.
5. If it’s too thin, refrigerate it for a bit until it’s spreadable. (I refrigerated mine for 1/2 hour and it never thickened. I might not have whipped my cream enough.)
6. If you’re not going to use it right away, refrigerate until you’re ready to use.

For the glaze (I skipped this)
(Note: It’s best to make the glaze right when you’re ready to finish the cake.)

What you’ll need:
•a small saucepan or double boiler

Ingredients:
14 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream (35% cream)

1. Melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth.
2. Let cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. Using a long metal cake spatula, smooth out into an even layer.
3. Place the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Assembling the Opéra Cake
(Note: The finished cake should be served slightly chilled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
2. Working with one sheet of cake at a time, cut and trim each sheet so that you have two pieces (from each cake so you’ll have four pieces in total): one 10-inch (25-cm) square and one 10 x 5-inch (25 x 12½-cm) rectangle.
Option A (if using buttercream only and not making the ganache/mousse):
3. Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.
4. Spread about one-third of the buttercream over this layer.
5. Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.
6. Spread another third of the buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde. Spread the remaining buttercream on top of the final layer of joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).
Continue to #8.

Option B (if making the ganache/mousse):
3. Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.
4. Spread about three-quarters of the buttercream over this layer.
5. Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.
6. Spread the remaining buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).
7. Prepare the ganache/mousse (if you haven’t already) and then spread it on the top of the last layer of the joconde. Refrigerate for at least two to three hours to give the ganache/mousse the opportunity to firm up.

8. Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.
9. Serve the cake slightly chilled. This recipe will yield approximately 20 servings.