Pistachio Opera
Pistachio Opera cake my alternate version of the classic French Gateau
Gateau Opera or Opera cake in English is a very popular dessert with an interesting history. The traditional version is normally made with three layers of thin almond sponge cake (Jaconde) layered with alternate fillings of rich chocolate ganache and creamy coffee flavored butter cream. The origin of the cake is disputed; I prefer the version of its story as the one where famed French Pastry Chef Gaston Lenôtre created it in 1955 for the opening of the Paris Opera house. When I was a young chef in training his book was one of the first ones that I purchased and his school Ecole Lenôtre is still in operation today in Paris. Here is a link to their website- Formations Lenôtre de pâtisserie, cuisine, boulangerie | Lenôtre
I first learned to make a version of the original cake when I was the Pâtissier at the Washington DC restaurant “Le Caprice” where the Alsatian French Chef owner Edmond Foltzenlogel taught me how to make it. Pistachio Opera is not my original idea; I have seen others make it as well. However, this is my version of Pistachio Opera.
I make the Jaconde with pistachios instead of the almond flour and replace the coffee butter cream layers with alternate layers of Swiss white chocolate butter cream, raspberry jam and lemon curd. Instead of soaking the layers with coffee syrup, as in the original version, I use a vanilla flavored syrup. I serve it on two sauces raspberry coulis and lemon champagne sabayon. I top the cake with white chocolate ganache instead of the dark chocolate glaze that is used in the original version (shown in the image below).
Jaconde Pistachio Biscuit (Pistachio Sponge Recipe)
Yields: 3 each ½ sheet pans
13 ounces granulated sugar
10 eggs, room temperature
13 ounces Pistachio flour (sifted with the all-purpose flour)
3 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
10 egg whites
1. Whip eggs and sugar to a ribbon on high speed and then reduce the speed to medium and continue to whip for 10 minutes,
2. Fold in dry ingredients,
3. Whip egg whites to soft peaks and fold into pistachio sugar mixture with a wire whisk in two batches one third the first time and finish with the last two thirds of the egg white foam,
4. Then deflate slightly by giving the mix 10 mixes with your hand or a plastic paddle.
5. Spread onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper or silicon baking mats, bake at 375.
Lemon Curd
Yield 1 quart (this will yield more than is needed, reserve the rest for another use or apply as a garnish sauce for plating the dessert)
12 Egg yolks
1 cup Lemon Juice
1 cup Granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon Lemon zest finely grated
8 ounces Butter room temperature
1. Rub the lemon zest and the sugar together to release the essential oils in the zest,
2. Mix with the egg yolks, and lemon juice and cook over a bain marie until thick 185F,
3. Remove from stove push through a strainer,
4. Chill to room temperature over ice,
5. Whip in the butter and use or refrigerate.
* Stabilized lemon curd for use in lemon tarts or fillings for tortes.
Use 3 sheets of gelatin bloomed in water until soft. Add to the hot curd in step three and stir until melted. Strain and follow the rest of the procedure.
Swiss Buttercream
Yield: 1 pound, 8 ounces
Ingredients
egg whites, room temperature 4 each
granulated sugar 5 ounces
European-style butter, unsalted (softened) 1 pound
confectioners’ sugar, sifted 2 ounces
vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
salt (optional) 1/4 teaspoon
1. Whisk egg whites and sugar over boiling water until cooked to 160°F.
2. Pour into a mixing machine bowl and mix on high speed until light a meringue forms and the mixture has cooled in the bowl to room temperature. Note: This is called a Swiss Meringue. An Italian meringue may also be used.
3. Continue to whip the meringue while adding softened butter a little at a time until all the butter is absorbed.
4. Reduce to medium speed and mix while adding the confectioners’ sugar.
5. Add vanilla extract and salt (optional) and mix to fully incorporate.
* Add 3 to 4 oz of melted white chocolate after step 5, to make white chocolate butter cream.
Steps to prepare the pistachio opera cake:
- Bake the jaconde in 3 half sheet pans and cool then remove from the pans
- While the jaconde cools prepare the lemon curd
- Next prepare the butter cream
- Make a simple syrup with 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water, boil for 2 minutes, add a small amount of vanilla extract and cool
- Build the layers of the gateau by first spreading a thin layer of seedless raspberry jam on the first layer
- Then spread a thin layer of lemon curd on the jam, followed by a thin layer of butter cream
- Lay on the second jaconde sponge to form the middle layer
- Soak lightly with vanilla simple syrup (do not over soak)
- Spread another thin layer of the lemon curd followed by more butter cream as in the first layer
- Top with the final layer of the jaconde sponge and lightly soak with more syrup
- Finnish the gateau with a layer of butter cream or as in the photo with a white chocolate ganache (made with 8 oz of white chocolate and 4 oz of heavy cream).
Optional- To make the ganache bring the cream to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate cut in small pieces and stir until melted. Pour onto the top layer of the gateau and spread out. If desired refrigerate the gateau and do a second coating of the ganache.
Chill the gateau until firm and slice into portions to serve. If desired serve with raspberry sauce, lemon champagne sabayon or lemon curd and whipped cream. In the image I garnished it with a rustic white chocolate decoration tinted with green.
All of the recipes can be found in my book "Pastry & Dessert Techniques". Just like many classic pastries and desserts, once you become proficient in producing the different components of the dessert you can build them with confidence to delight your friends and family. Sweet dreams my friends.
