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Phantom of the Opera Cake




Source of Recipe


Internet


List of Ingredients




Makes 24 servings

Special equipment: Three 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll pans; 9 x 14-inch cardboard cake board

Cake
8 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 1/3 cups (466 grams) sugar
Pinch of salt
Scant 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
2/3 cup (129 grams) clarified butter (see below), melted

Coffee Syrup
1 tablespoon (2 grams) instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1 cup (200 grams) sugar

Ganache
1 pound (454 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups (464 grams) heavy cream

Assembly
3 cups (600 grams) Mocha Buttercream (recipe follows)

Clarified Butter: Clarifying butter is a process of removing the milk solids from butter. Clarified butter has a much higher smoking point than regular butter (it is the milk solids that burn during sautéing). To finish with the amount of clarified butter you need, start with about 33 percent more unsalted butter than that amount. (For example, if you want six tablespoons of clarified butter, start with eight tablespoons of butter.)

Have a fine-mesh sieve ready, or line a coarser sieve with a layer of cheesecloth. Cut the butter into tablespoons and melt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; do not stir. Continue to cook until the solids drop to the bottom of the pan and begin to turn brown. When the bubbling subsides, strain the butter through the sieve. Clarified butter will keep for months in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Arrange two baking racks near the center of the oven. Lightly butter the bottoms and sides of three 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out the excess.

2. In an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the 12 egg yolks and sugar at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until thickened and pale, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a clean dry mixer bowl, using the clean dry whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on low speed until foamy. Gradually increase the speed to high, beating just until the whites form soft peaks when the whisk is lifted. Fold the whites into the yolks in three additions, alternating them with the flour in three additions.

4. Put the clarified butter in a medium bowl. Stir a large scoop of the batter into the butter until combined. Gently fold this mixture into the remaining batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly, and, using a spatula, quickly spread the batter into an even layer.

5. Place one cake in the upper rack and two on the lower rack. Bake the cake layers for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the tops spring back when lightly touched. (The cake on the upper rack may be done before the cakes on the lower rack – watch carefully.) Invert the layers onto wire racks, peel off the parchment paper, and cool completely.

6. Make the coffee syrup: Dissolve the espresso powder in 2 teaspoons (10 grams) water. Combine the sugar and ¾ cup (177 grams) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coffee. Let cool completely.

7. Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a large bowl Bring the cream to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth. Transfer half of the ganache to a medium bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill, stirring occasionally, until it is spreadable, about 1 1/2 hours (this is the filling). Reserve the other half of the ganache at room temperature (this will be used to glaze the cake).

8. Assemble the cake: Place on of the cake layers on a 9 x 14-inch cardboard cake rectangle and set it on an inverted baking sheet. Brush the cake generously with the coffee syrup. Scrape the chilled ganache filling onto the cake and spread it into a thin even layer with an offset spatula. Place a second layer over the ganache layer. Brush generously with coffee syrup. Scrape half of the mocha buttercream onto the cake layer and spread it into a thin even layer with the offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes.

9. Place the third cake layer over the buttercream layer, right side up. Brush generously with the coffee syrup. Scrape the remaining mocha buttercream onto the top of the cake and spread it into a thin even layer. Freeze the cake for 20 minutes.

10. Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Set the bowl of ganache over the water and stir just until it is warm. Remove the cake from the freezer and place it on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Pour the warm glaze over the cake, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes.

11. Using a long serrated knife, trim about 1/4 inch off the sides of the cake so that you can see the layers. Cut the cake into 3 x 1 1/2-inch rectangles with a hot dry knife (dip the knife in hot water and wipe clean between cuts)/ The cake may be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before serving.


Mocha Buttercream

5 large eggs
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) (567 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (4 grams) instant espresso powder or instant coffee

1. In the large bowl of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment, begin beating the eggs on medium speed.

2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1/3 cup (78 grams) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Insert a candy thermometer into the pan and cook until the syrup reaches 243° F. With the mixer running, immediately pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl into the eggs (avoid pouring the hot syrup onto the whisk, or it will splatter). Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are cool and have doubled in volume, about 7 minutes.

3. Beat in the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time (see Note). Increase the speed to high and beat until the buttercream is shiny and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Dissolve the instant espresso or coffee in 1 tablespoon (15 grams) hot water. Beat into the finished buttercream. The buttercream can be used right away or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and beat with a whisk until smooth before using.

Note: Buttercream sometimes has a tendency to curdle. Here is a trick you can use to rescue it if the buttercream mixture should appear separated at any point while you are adding the butter. Stop beating the buttercream and heat 2 tablespoons (29 grams) of heavy cream in a small saucepan. Whisk the hot cream into the buttercream to bring it together, then continue adding the butter.


Recipe