Ingredients
Jaconde Sponge:
- 277g Almond Flour
- 128g Sugar
- 68g All Purpose Flour
- 7ea. Large Eggs
- 188g Egg Whites
- 150g Castor Sugar
- 8ml Fresh Ginger
- 45ml Melted Butter
- 1ea. Brown Food Gel
- 1ea. Orange Food Gel
Tipsy Tart Cake:
- 260g Pitted Dates, chopped
- 7,5ml Bicarbonate of Soda
- 260ml Boiling Water
- 225g All Purpose Flour
- 2ml Baking Powder
- 2ml Salt
- 100g Chopped Pecans
- 45ml Butter
- 300g White Sugar
- 2ea. Large egg
Buttercream:
- 150ml All Purpose Flour
- 563ml Milk
- 30ml Vanilla Extract
- 500g Salted Butter
- 560ml White Sugar
- 15ml Cinnamon
Brandy Sauce:
- 250ml Water
- 250ml White Sugar
- 60ml Brandy
- 5ml Vanilla Extract
- 30ml Butter
Ganache:
- 340g Dark Chocolate
- 188ml Milk
- 90ml Cream
- 90ml Butter (room temp)
Spiced Nuts:
- 350g Pecan Halves
- 60ml White Sugar
- 60ml Honey
- 15ml Mixed Spice
Preparation method
Jaconde:
- Preheat oven to 180C
- Line two baking trays with baking paper, brush with melted butter
- Combine almond flour, sugar, all purpose flour
- Place in electric mixer with paddle attachment, gently mix
- Add in eggs, one at a time ensuring each is fully incorporated first
- Add ginger and beat for a further 4 minutes, scraping sides
- In separate bowl, on low speed beat the egg whites to aerate
- Add sugar. Increase speed, beat for 4 minutes ( soft peaks)
- Gently fold meringue into batter (do not overwork)
- Take a 1/3 cup of batter and place into two separate bowls
- Add a drop of brown and orange gel in bowls and colour gently
- Place into piping bags and design leopard print on baking paper
- You can use a template for this, freeze for 20 minutes
- Gently half and spread batter thinly into baking trays
- Bake for about 7 minutes, surface will be golden brown
- Invert cake onto wire rack, peel off baking paper
- Cut to desired height and use to form boundary of opera cake
Tipsy Tart Cake:
- Preheat oven to 190C
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper, grease with Spray and Cook
- Mix boiling water and bicarbonate of soda and pour over dates
- Let it soak for about 30 minutes
- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, add chopped nuts
- In separate bowl, cream together butter, sugar and egg
- Gradually add in flour mixture, mix well after each addition
- Mix in the dates, divide between two baking trays, smooth out
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, let cool and remove baking paper
Cinnamon Buttercream:
- In small saucepan bring milk and flour to boil, stirring continuously
- Remove from heat and let cool, stir in vanilla
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
- Add cool milk mixture and cinnamon to butter mixture
- Beat for 5 minutes on med-high until it looks like whipped cream
- It may look separated at first but continue until it comes together
Brandy Sauce:
- Add water, sugar, vanilla and butter together in small pot
- Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and add brandy
Ganache:
- In Medium saucepan bring milk and cream to boil
- Remove from heat, stir in chocolate, stir for 2 minutes, smooth
- Stir in butter, stir for further 2 minutes
Spiced Nuts:
- Preheat oven to 180C
- Mix together sugar and spices
- Heat honey in microwave until very runny
- Pour honey over nuts and coat properly
- Bake on baking paper lined baking tray for 10 minutes, remove
- Cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with sugar spice, toss to coat well
Assembly:
- Line bottom of a 8” spring form pan with a cake plate
- Line side of pan with baking paper
- Measure how much Jaconde will be needed to form boundary
- Cut to desired size
- Spread thin layer of Buttercream onto the back of the Jaconde
- Place Jaconde inside lined spring form pan to form boundary
- Cut tipsy cake to desired size and place inside spring from pan
- Brush with the brandy syrup
- Spread half of the buttercream and smooth out using offset spatula
- Add another cake layer and brush with syrup
- Spread thick layer of Ganache over the cake, freeze for 5 minutes
- Spread another layer of Ganache, freeze again for 5 minutes
- Spread a thin layer of butter cream, smooth out nicely
- Place last layer of tipsy cake and brush with syrup
- Spread a thin layer of butter cream on top, smooth out nicely
- Pour on last layer of Ganache, smooth out
- Decorate with spiced nuts
- Refrigerate cake until just before serving
- Remove from spring from pan