Blackberry Opera

The opera is one of my favourite patisserie, I’ve made it a lot of times on the blog and when this season’s blackberries were early I knew I wanted to use them in a layered gateau like this. In my head I had an image of the finished dessert and it turned out just like I imagined, the striking purple colour of the berries shone through in the creme au beurre and the contrast against the dark chocolate ganache and pale joconde sponge helped to create a stunning cake.

Another reason for creating this opera is due to the generous box of chocolate I received from Guittard, they sent me a whole host of chocolates from their range. I’ve used two of their chocolates in this opera, 66% semisweet cacao wafers and 55% Akoma Semisweet chocolate chips. This is some seriously good chocolate, I had to really resist the urge to just eat it by the handful.

Ingredients
***Blackberry Ganache***

• 375g Guittard Semisweet 66% Cacao Wafers
• 300ml Double Cream
• 150ml Blackberry Puree
• 50g Unsalted Butter

***Dark Chocolate Ganache Glaze***

• 260ml Whipping Cream
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 40g Liquid Glucose
• 250g Guittard Akoma Extra Semisweet Chocolate Chips 55%

***Blackberry Crème au Beurre***

• 150g Caster Sugar
• 45ml Water
• 90g Egg Yolks
• 337g Unsalted Butter cubed and softened
• 60ml-100ml Blackberry Puree

***Biscuit Joconde***

• 250g Icing Sugar (sifted)
• 250g Ground Almonds
• 76g Plain Flour (sifted)
• 324g Eggs (about 6-7 eggs)
• 56g Unsalted Butter (melted)
• 200g Egg Whites (about 6-7 eggs)
• 60g Caster Sugar

Instructions

1. First make the ganache, put the chocolate in a medium sized bowl, cut the butter into cubes and put it in a separate bowl.
2. Place the whipping cream and blackberry puree into a saucepan and heat until it comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Pour the hot liquid over the chocolate and stir gently until all of the chocolate has melted, then add the butter and stir gently until all melted.
4. Leave to one side to cool, if not using straight away place it in a bowl or container with cling-film pressed into the surface of the ganache so that no condensation forms. This can be made 2 days in advance.
5. Next make the ganache glaze, put the cream, sugar and liquid glucose in a saucepan and bring it to the boil.
6. Add the hot cream mixture to the chopped chocolate, mixing until the chocolate melts and the ingredients come together.
7. Pour into an airtight container and cover with cling-film, pressing to the surface of the glaze so that condensation or a skin doesn't form.
8. When cool place the glaze in the fridge and use within 4 days.
9. Next make the creme au beurre, put the caster sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil and heat to 121C.
10. Put the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk, slowly pour in the hot syrup and whisk until thick and cool.
11. Gradually add the softened butter while still whisking. When all of the butter has been incorporated, continue to beat until light and aerated.
12. Add the blackberry puree gradually and taste as you go along, until you get the strength of flavour desired without compromising the texture.
13. To make the biscuit joconde preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan and line 3 baking trays that are at least 24cm x 30cm (it doesn't matter if they're a little bit bigger as you will trim the finished cake).
14. Put the sifted icing sugar, ground almonds and sifted flour in a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and beat until the mixture is light and pale.
15. Melt the butter gently, do not let it boil or simmer, add the melted butter to the egg mixture and beat until it is fully mixed in.
16. Put the egg whites and caster sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until at firm peaks stage.
17. Fold the meringue into the egg mixture until fully mixed, weigh the cake mixture (the easiest way to do this is to tip the mixture back into the bowl of the mixer and weigh it) and then split it between the 3 baking sheets.
18. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and the sponge springs back when pressed gently.

Read more please visit : www.patisseriemakesperfect.co.uk

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