Opera Cake

Host & Recipe : @imeliciouz1085

Here I only made in half recipe, due to limited baking equipment. If you prefer original (full recipe) please email me.

Jaconde Biscuit (Almond Sponge Cake)

Meringue:

75 gr Egg whites

20 g granulated sugar

A pinch of cream of tartar

Almond Mixture:

100gr almond or hazelnut meal*

80 gr confectioner sugar (Original 110 gr)

37 gr all-purpose flour

125 gr Eggs

20 gr unsalted butter, melted

Method

- Prepare 2 pans of 22x30cm (9x12 inch) grease or cover with greased baking paper

- Combine sugar with the eggs and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until thick and fluffy then fold almond meal, all purpose flour until well combined, then fold the melted butter. Set aside.

- Beat egg whites along until frothy then add cream of tartar beat on high speed, adding remaining sugar gradually and whip until stiff peak is achieved.

- Gently, fold one-third of the meringue into the almond mixture in 3 addition and mix until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into each baking tray.

- Bake the sponges in 200ºC preheated oven for about 7-10 minutes. Once cool, set aside (Joconde biscuit can be kept a couple of days at room temperature, refrigerated a week or frozen for weeks; rolled into parchment and wrapped).

- Each pan, cut into 2 pieces, and one recipe yield 4 layers of 22x15 cm

Coffee Buttercream (Crème Anglaise Style)

100ml full cream milk

40 gr Egg yolks

50 gr castor sugar

7gr of instant coffee dissolved in 10ml of hot water

120 gr unsalted butter, at room temp

Method

- Bring milk to boil, set aside. Beat egg yolks and sugar to blend, add milk and whisk milk gradually into the yolk mixture whisking constantly.

- Return custard to the stove, gently heat the mixture to just below the boiling point 85ºC or until small bubbles appear in sides it will thicken. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle.

- Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a mixer bowl. Beat the crème Anglaise with the instant coffee on high speed until has cooled to room temperature (or just let it cool itself).

- Add the softened butter and whip until creamy on high speed. Buttercream Can be kept refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Coating for Chablon

20g dark chocolate compound

2ml oil (I used butter)

Method

- Melt chocolate and oil and spread evenly on the bottom of one sponge cake and chill to set.

Coffee Syrup

130 ml hot water

40 gr granulated sugar

10 gr  instant coffee

Method

- Bring all ingredients to boil and let cool to room temp before using.

Chocolate Glaze

100g liquid whip cream

150 gr dark cooking chocolate compound or couverture

50 light corn syrup

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

- Warm the whip cream, put the chocolate in the bowl and gently stir it.

- Add corn syrup and oil, stir until well combined. Set aside

Opera Cake Assembly

- For the chablon, using a flat spatula, coat the surface of one sponge with the melted chocolate (for the bottom). Cover immediately with parchment in contact and flip over; chocolate side down and refrigerate to set.

- Remove from the fridge and brush generously with the coffee syrup (each layer of sponge must be well soaked in coffee syrup; that’s one of the main characteristic of the opéra cake).

- Carefully, spread the coffee buttercream over the surface of the first sponge, then chocolate glaze, continue to do the same until the last layers.

- Every layers should be : jaconde bicuits, coffee buttercream, chocolate glaze

- Place cake the refrigerator overnight (do not freeze before glazing or condensation will appear on the surface which will damage the chocolate glaze and its effect)

- Spread chocolate glaze over the cake from left to right in a slow but regular motion. Immediately even the surface of the cake with a large offset spatula lightly moving back and forth twice. Refrigerate opéra cake until top is set; min. two hour before trimming off sides and serve. To make cuts look sharper bring a pitcher of hot water, dip the blade in between cuts, and wipe with a towel.

Raspberry Pistachio Cream Cake

I made these for Drool fundraiser events. The layer cakes consist of pistachio sponge cake, raspberry jelly, custard cream and pistachio butter nuts. The combination is just well blended and very nice.

CAKE - Ingredients:

30 gr Boiling water

15 gr Pistachio Butter Nut **( I used @the_hunters_kitchenette )

10 gr Sugar

2 Egg yolks

25 gr Oil

40 gr Cake four

2 Egg whites

35 gr Sugar

Preparation cake:

- Place Pistachio butter nut and sugar in bowl, then pour in the boiling water and stir well incorporated.

- Preheat oven 200 degree.      

- Hand whisk egg yolks lightly. Add in oil & the butter nut mixture, mix well.

- Fold in cake flour until combined.

- In separated bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, add in 35gr sugar, whisk until stiff (medium peak).

- Pour 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk-flour mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the rest of the egg white and mixed well.

- Pour into tray (20x20x2cm) and bake for 10-12 mins.

- Leave to cool on a wire rack

FILLING 1 – RASPBERRY JELLY – Ingredients:

150 gr raspberry puree

50 gr sugar

¾ tsp Gelatin powder

20 ml Boiling water

Preparation raspberry jelly:

- Stir gelatin powder in boiling water and let it dissolve. Set aside.

- Combine raspberry puree and sugar, cook until sugar dissolve.  Remove from heat.

- Add in gelatin, stir well.  Set aside and let it cool.

FILLING 2 - CUSTARD CREAM– Ingredients:

1 Egg

50 gr Sugar

20 gr Conrnstarch

A pinch of Salt

150 gr Milk

50 gr Butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation custard cream:

- Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt and corn flour until thick and pale in colour.

- Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to boil.

- Pour small part of milk over the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Then pour the whole mixture back to the milk in a saucepan and whisk over a gentle heat until the mixture becomes thick and boiling. Keep out from heat, keep stirring (to avoid burn on the bottom part). Wait for a few minutes, add in butter and vanilla. Stir until it well incorporated with the cream. 

- While cooling, cover it with the plastic clingwrap to avoid the cream turn dry.

FILLING 3 – PISTACHIO BUTTER NUT ** ( I used @the_hunters_kitchenette )

Decoration:  Fresh Raspberry , pistachio nuts

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE :

- Divide the cake into 3 parts.  Spread raspberry jelly on the each layer. Let it set in the fridge for 10 minutes.

- On the flat surface, place one cake with raspberry jelly layer, spread custard cream, dizzling topping with Pistachio butter nut.

- Continue by adding cake layer, raspberry, custard, pistachio butter nut.

- Finish with  cake and raspberry layer.          

CAKE SLICING :

- Let the cake set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing. Cut slices of desired thickness. Serve it with fresh raspberry and pistachio nuts.  

NOTE :

If you cannot buy the ready made pistachio nuts, you may option to make your own.

** Homemade Pistachio Butter Nuts :

200 gr Pistachio nuts, toast

1 tsp Castor sugar

½ tsp Salt

Method:

- Blend it until 80% smooth, add in sugar and salt, blend it until smooth.

- Ready to use or keep it in tighly sealed container, keep in the fridge after use it.

Rainbow Legit and Lapis Surabaya

Thanks for Alice - ILove.ICook.IBake for the inspiration, please see her version here. :)

Here are my combination Lapis Legit and Lapis Surabaya Cake. 

Lapis Legit - Half recipe from what I normally baked

Ingredients:

A.

100 gr Butter

75 gr Margarine

1 tbsp Condense milk

1 tbsp Rum

B.

12 Egg yolks

2 Egg white

85 gm. Caster sugar

C.

25 gr Plain flour

5 gr Milk powder

Colouring (optional)

Method:

- Preheat 200C

- Cream butter till creamy and pale in colour. Add in condense milk and rum, mix well.

- Whisk ‘B’ until thick & double in volume, then add ‘A’, whisk until mix well.

- Fold in ‘C’, mix well using spatula.

- Prepare 8 inch (20x20cm) tray, lined at the bottom.

- Bake the first layer with top-bottom heat.

- Then bake the next layer until the last layer using top heat. Try to bake it each layer not more than 5 minutes or else, the cake will turn hard.

- Use back spoon to press lightly to flatten each layer while you mixed the batter into the tray.

Lapis Surabaya  -  recipe from NCC (Natural Cooking Club)

Ingredients : One  recipe : yields  2 layers

20 egg yolks

200 g sugar

250g butter, beat till soft and white

100g plain flour

Method:

- Beat egg yolks and sugar till ribbon stage. Off mixer

- Add in beaten butter and fold in using rubber spatula

- Fold in sifted flour, also using rubber spatula

- Divide batter into two, and pour on two 20cm square pan and bake in preheated oven of 180C for 25 minutes or till the tester skewer comes out clean

- Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to cooling rack

Assembling:

Put the lapis legit cake in between two layers of Lapis Surabaya and spread with your favourite jam or buttercream. Cut the sides for presentation

Layers Swissroll ( Lapis Gulung )

Source : @eliz_willyam

Ingredients for Lapis rolls:

A:

5 Egg yolks

40 gr Icing sugar

B:

80 gr Chilled Salted Butter

C:

4 gr Cake flour

4 gr Milk powder

Optional : filling rolling - condensed milk or jam

Method:

- Preheat oven to 200C

- Cream butter (B) until pale and fluffy. set aside.

- Beat Ingredients (A) until thick & fluffy. While keep beating, fold in slowly the creamy butter (in small amount until finish)

- Fold in Ingredients (C) with spatula until the mixture is well incorporated.

- Place the baking paper on the preheated 20x20 cm tin. Spread thinly approx. 40 gr for he first layer. Bake at the centre rack with top-bottom heat at 200C. It should take 5-10 mins until brown.

- Then bake the next layer approx. 55 gr until the fourth layer using top heat. Try to bake it each layer not more than 5 mins or else, the cake will turn hard.

- Use back spoon to press lightly to flatten each layer while you mixed the batter in the tray.

- Remove from oven, leave to cool for 5 mins, cut into half and start rolling into 2 rolls then set aside.

Ingredients for Swissroll: ( you need to bake two sets )

4 Egg yolks

40 gr Icing sugar

20 gr Cake flour

50 gr Melted butter

Method:

- Preheat oven to 200C

- Beat egg yolks and icing sugar until thick or ribbon stage.

- Add flour, then fold in the melted butter, mixed until incorporated.

- Pour in 20x20 cm tin and bake for 10 mins.

Final Assembly:

Use swissroll cake to cover up the lapis roll with Nutella filling (or you can put any of your favourite filling)

Yields : 2 rolls

Chocolate Lapis Legit

When you see any lapis cake, I guess everyone will straight forward say
wow nice cake but fattening, time consuming to bake blah blah blah ….
so do I.

I felt lazy whenever the thought of long hours of preparing & baking it, however, for every Chinese New Year, at least I will try to bake one lapis cake (provided time is allowed). I just love the taste of rich, aromatic, moist and not to forget it is highly addictive cake…. just can’t stop at only one slice. :)

Here are “Some good tip and tricks for baking lapis cake shared by Sweet Samsations” that you may check it out before you bake.

Source : Ny Liem's Lapis Legit Coklat with modification

Ingredients:

A:
35 Egg yolks
4 Egg white
10 gr Cake Emulsifier/Ovallete
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
350 gr Icing Sugar

B:
600 gr Chilled Salted Butter
2 tbsp Condense milk

C:
50 gr Cake flour
20 gr Corn flour
20 gr Milk powder

D:
30 gr Chocolate powder
1 tbsp Chocolate paste
50 gr butter cream

Method:
- Cream butter (600+50 gr) until pale and fluffy. Put aside 50 gr of butter and will be used for Ingredients (D). Add condensed milk to the remaining 600 gr butter, cream or mix well and set aside.
- Beat Ingredients (A) until thick & fluffy. Fold in the creamy 600 gr butter – Ingredients (B) and evenly mix.
- Fold in Ingredients (C) with spatula until the mixture is well incorporated.
- Take 1/3 of the batter (around 750 gr), mix it with Ingredients (D) until incorporated, set aside.
- Place the baking paper on the preheated 9x9 inch tin. Spread thinly approx. 110 gr of yellow batter to the tin and bake the first layer at the centre rack with top-bottom heat at 200C. It should take 5-10 mins until brown.
- Then bake the next layer until the last layer using top heat. Try to bake it each layer not more than 5 mins or else, the cake will turn hard.
- Use back spoon to press lightly to flatten each layer while you mixed the batter in the tray.
- For chocolate layer, I weigh 115 gr each.
- Every three layers of yellow, I add 2 chocolate layers. Continue baking the cake by the layers until the batter uses up.
-When the last layer is finish, cover with aluminium foil, using top bottom heat …. bake the cake again at 180C for about 10 mins.
- Remove from oven and leave to cool before slicing.

I’m submitting this post to:

- Aspiring Bakers #27:Through Thick and Thin – Kue Lapis Classics hosted by Sweet Samsations
- Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Assorted Mini Cakes

Brought these simple mini cakes for Children's Day celebration yesterday. I baked using my favourite chocolate cake recipe and cooked method pandan chiffon recipe. Spread with only whipping cream, cheese and some chocolate decoration on top.  

Birthday Cake - 2012

I never realised the time fly so fast that I already missed out last two month events :(  So... when I made this birthday cake for my younger boy for his celebration at kindergarten , so coincidence that I won't missing in action again for this month event :)    Here I would like to submit this post to AspiringBakers #18: Layers of Love (April 2012) hosted by Sam of Sweet Samsations.

 

The cake consist of :

A. Chocolate Sponge Cake

B. Vanilla Sponge Cake

C. Swiss Meringue Buttercream –  great recipe with full pictures adapted from Wendyywy

D. Chocolate Picture Transfer Sheet –  useful tutorial with pictures adapted from Happy Flour

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE :

from my favourite swiss roll recipe

Ingredients:

70 gr Boiling water

25 gr Cocoa Powder (here I used mixed of both)
20 gr Sugar

4 Egg yolks
15 gr Sugar
50 gr Oil
50 gr Cake four

3 Egg whites
50 gr Sugar

Method:

- Shift cocoa powder and sugar in bowl, then pour in the boiling water and stir well incorporated.
- Preheat oven 200 deg C.
- Hand whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Add in oil & the cocoa mixture, mix well.
- Fold in cake flour until combined.
- In separated bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, add in 50gr sugar, whisk until stiff (soft peak).
- Pour 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk-flour mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the rest of the egg white and mixed well.
- Pour into tray (12"x12"x1") and bake for 10-15 mins.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack


 

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE :

adapted from Keiko - OKASHI – Souffle Roll Sponge

Ingredients:
1 Egg
3 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

35 gr Unsalted Butter
60 gr Cake Flour
60 gr Fresh Milk

3 Egg Whites
85 gr Fine sugar

Method:

- Preheat oven 180 deg C (my oven I baked in 200C)

- Combine egg, egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl and beat lightly. Set aside.

- Place butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add flour to melted butter and cook through. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, then add egg mixture a little at a time with a spatula till a smooth batter. Add milk and mix to incorporate. Strain the batter and set aside.
- Whisk egg white in a clean bowl and beat till foamy. Add half the sugar and continue beating for a few minutes, then add remaining sugar and beat till stiff peak.
- Add 1/3 meringue into egg yolk mixture and fold in lightly, then add remaining meringue and fold till just incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared pan (12"x12"x1") and spread evenly with a scraper.

- Bake for 15-20 mins and leave to cool on wire rack.

 

Oreo Cheese Chocolate Layer Cake

We celebrated my boys’ birthday earlier instead of this week. This time, they never requested any fancy cake, so I also decided just a very simple decoration ( …. too lazy to think , it's just an excuse ... from this lazy mommy) ...  :)

Here are the combinations of the cake:
1. Chocolate Sponge Cake … recipe here
- I want darker cake, so I substituted 20 gr cake flour to cocoa powder, so total cocoa powder used 41 gr.

2. Oreo Cheese Cotton Cake …. recipe here
- I want something light on the cheese cake, so I substituted cheddar cheese to cream cheese. Added 7 pcs crush oreo cookies w/o cream in the batter.

3. Swiss Meringue Cream Butter Cream …. recipe here

The cake well received and enjoyed by all. As I was busy cutting the cake, just lucky still remembered to snap a slice cake before I ate it up :)

Lapis Legit II

This year, you don't see me baking any cookies, it's because I baked most of the same cookies as last year. Baking kueh lapis is a must too .... heeheehe ... just ignoring extra calories & choresterol from the cake during this festive season. The recipe you can find here.

Here's wishing all

 a Happy

and

Prosperous Chinese New Year!

Lapis Legit

If I still have some spare time, I will always bake kueh lapis just for new year. Maybe of this recipe use lots of egg yolks, I found there were more wave in this lapis, therefore the line not as neat as I did last year. Or maybe I should practice more :) And I found out that this lapis even nicer if you eat on the second day, are you thinking the same way too?

Ingredients:
A.
200 gr Butter
150 gr Margarine
2 tbsp Condense milk
2 tbsp Rum

B.25 Egg yolks
3 Egg white
170 gm. Caster sugar

C.
50 gr Plain flour
10 gr Milk powder
1 tsp Mixed spice

Method:
- Preheat 200C
- Cream butter till creamy and pale in colour. Add in condense milk and rum, mix well.
- Whisk ‘B’ until thick & double in volume, then add ‘A’, whisk until mix well.
- Fold in ‘C’, mix well using spatula.
- Prepare 8" tray, lined at the bottom.
- Bake the first layer with top-bottom heat.
- Then bake the next layer until the last layer using top heat. Try to bake it each layer not more than 5 minutes or else, the cake will turn hard.
- Use back spoon to press lightly to flatten each layer while you mixed the batter into the tray.
- When finish the last layer, cover with aluminium foil, using top bottom heat bake the cake at 180C for about 10 mins.

Lapis Sagu

Ingredients:
A
650g coconut milk
210g sugar
6-8 pcs pandan leaves

B
180g tapioca flour
50g rice flour

Methods:
- Bring ingredients A to boil
- Pour into B and mixed well, then strain
- Take 50g, keep for the red colour for top layer, then divide the rest batter into 2 equal parts for colouring (or it depend on how many colours you prefer)
- Heat up the steaming tray, pour 50g of white colour into the baking mould, steam for 5 minutes, then pour the next 50g on top of the white layer, then steam for 5 minutes (here what I did, made 2 layers for each colour)
- Repeat until the last layer, steam for 15 minutes
- Remove, leave to cool completely before cutting into pieces

Baking mould : Oval (8x4inch)
Yields : 14 layers

Notes :
- Try to use darker colour so you will have nice colour layers (as my green so light, therefore hardly see the separated layers)
- Wait until completely cool (at least 3 hrs) before cutting into pieces
- Use plastic to cover the knife to cut the lapis into pieces, then you will have beautiful cutting lapis
- Try wrap asap into plastic after cutting (as I found the lapis sagu was sticky)


This is how the look of the knife wrapped in the plastic bag. Just straight use it to slice the lapis sagu. (updated 01/09/2010)

Kueh Lapis