Chocolate Ganache & Opera Cream Cake

I made a batch of opera cream for Easter and it didn’t quite set up the way it should. It was looser and wasn’t cooperating enough to coat in chocolate for candy. What to do? Turn it into cake filling!

I used my recipe for Coconut Lightning Cake . To turn it into a chocolate cake add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to the flour mixture and substitute vanilla extract for the coconut extract. Bake according to the recipe.

While the cake is cooling, prepare a chocolate ganache frosting by heating 4 ounces of heavy cream just until very warm, then stirring it into 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate (chopped into small pieces). Mix in a bowl until all the chocolate is melted. Set aside until the mixture is cooled and begins to set up, then whip with your mixer until light and fluffy and of spreadable consistency. It should hold it’s shape when spread.

When the cake is thoroughly cooled, divide it into three layers and spread a thick layer of Opera Cream on one layer, then a thick layer of chocolate ganache frosting on the next layer. Top the cake with the last layer, then coat the whole cake with a layer of chocolate ganache glaze.

To make the chocolate ganache glaze, simply heat another 4 ounces heavy cream until very warm and combine with another 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until all chocolate is melted. Let set until the chocolate falls in a thick ribbon and is of a consistency that will allow you to glaze the top and sides of the cake without the glaze pooling to the bottom.

Leave undecorated, or decorate with melted white chocolate or leftover chocolate ganache frosting. Let the cake set at room temperature at least 2 hours before serving.

This small layer cake is so decadent you don’t need large slices. Serves 12.

Ganache tips:

• The higher the quality of chocolate you use, the better your ganache will taste
• If you’re not pleased with the quality of chocolate you’re using, doll it up by adding a splash of vanilla or almond extract and a pinch of salt
• Don’t scald the cream, just heat until warm enough to melt the chocolate; either heat in a double boiler or in the microwave on short bursts at low temperature
• If frosting is not setting up when you whip it, add a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar to give it a boost