STRAWBERRY OPERA CAKE

Ingredients..
Almond sponge
112.5 gm icing sugar
3 tbspn + 1 tspn plain flour
112.5 gm almond powder
4 eggs
22.5 gm butter - melted and cooled
4 egg white
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tspn strawberry flavor
1 tspn pink colour

Ganache
200 gm superior-quality dark chocolate - finely chopped
120 ml fresh milk
50 ml whipping cream
50 gm butter - softened

Coffee syrup
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp instant expresso coffee

Buttercream
50 gm caster sugar
1 egg white
1 tbsp instant expresso coffee
100 gm butter - softened

Directions..
01. To prepare the sponge layer, preheat the oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F).
02. Line a 6 x 6 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
03. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and icing sugar, then add the powdered almonds. Mix well.
04. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until pale. Add the melted butter.
05. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks are obtained.
06. Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the ingredients, mixing well, then incorporate the remainder, folding until just combined n divide to 3 bowls.
07. Pour onto the baking tray and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and springy when touched.
08. Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn out onto a wire rack covered with a sheet of parchment paper. Allow to cool.
09. Place finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
10. Bring milk and 30 ml of the whipping cream to a boil.
11. Pour the hot liquid onto the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds, then add the butter and mix until smooth.
12. Let cool until a spreadable consistency is obtained.
13. To prepare the coffee syrup, place sugar and water in a pan and stir until dissolved.
14. Bring to a boil and add coffee.
15. To prepare butter cream, place sugar and water in a heavy skillet and make a sugar syrup, stir until sugar is completely dissolved, then boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches soft-ball stage, between 116  and 118 degrees C (214 – 244 degrees F).
16. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are obtained.
17. Continue beating while incorporating the hot syrup. Beat until mixture is cold.
18. Dissolve instant expresso coffee with a boiling water, cool and add to butter.
19. Add one half of the egg-white mixture and beat well, then gently fold in the remainder until well combined.
20. Using a sharp knife, cut a little on the edge of the flat side of cake .
21. Take the spring foam 6 x 6 inches, the base with aluminum foil and place the pieces of the aluminum pan and place the first layer cake.
22. Soak the first section with one-third of the coffee syrup, then spread over it half of the butter cream.
23. Place the next section of sponge on top, then soak with coffee syrup and spread with half of the ganache.
24. Place the last section on top, soak with remaining syrup and spread with the rest of the butter cream, taking care to smooth the surface.
25. Chill until buttercream firmly set 5 hours or one night.
26. Melt the rest of the ganache over a pan of very hot water.
27. Bring the remaining cream to the boiling point and incorporate into ganache. Allow to cool until a smooth, spreadable consistency is obtained and spread over top of cake.

strawberry opera cake..

strawberry opera cake..