@Shelovescake

The week of the Opera Gateau! As the name implies, this cake is one dramatic, decadent diva. No lowly cake status here, but a gateau, or more specifically an entremet. A complex, multi-layered dessert, the name of which literally refers to ‘between servings’. Wikipedia describes an entremet as an edible scenic display, always spectacular, often theatrical. The opera gateau could be viewed as the highest form of theatre, with its layers thought to resemble the levels of an opera house.

This showstopper took us three days to create. On Monday, we made the thin layers of jaconde sponge which required rulers for precision in size. And we combined coffee, sugar and water to make a coffee-infused sugar syrup. On Tuesday, we prepared the chocolate ganache filling, the coffee buttercream filling (which is pate a bombe-based) and the mirror glaze topping. We then embarked on the assembly. Such is the complexity that diagrams were required to assist at this stage. The various fillings also have to be a very particular consistency and temperature (not too hot, not too cold) to be spreadable yet hold their shape. A small palette knife helped us to smooth the layers over the cake in the style of a plasterer. Once adorned with the final layer of ganache, into the fridge she went to firm up. The mirror glaze is also a demanding creature and again had to be at a specific temperature (32-33 degrees celsius) before pouring over the cake. It must be stirred and tended to frequently to cool gradually without forming a skin. When it reached the optimum moment, it was incredibly satisfying to pour the glossy, molten liquid all over the cake and be able to see your reflection within it. But what a messy business; we ended up with glaze all over the benches and spilling on to the floor. A quick blowtorch to remove little air bubbles and our diva was back in the fridge to chill and set up overnight. Wednesday was for the final flourishes: writing, gold leaf and tempered chocolate decoration. Traditionally the gateau is topped with the word ‘opera’ in white chocolate. We had quite an array of alternatives from ‘eat me’ to lines from an Italian opera. I went with my instagram handle with seemed apposite.

Running alongside this labour of love, we also made salted muscovado caramel truffles and attempted to temper chocolate to coat them. Another incredibly messy business which involved chocolate all over our hands and faces, and consequently the entire kitchen. The end of day clear down was epic. The transportation home of our opera gateau divas was cause for consternation given the time and dedication we had put into the creation. A taxi was the only option whilst desperately clutching the box on our laps.

There was little time to reveal in our chocolate week success. On Thursday, we had our first formal assessment of the advanced term. A five hour session to produce brined and bbq’d quail, aubergine fries, sweetcorn salsa and puree, and a pomegranate jus. Lots of technique required to produce this delicious plate of food. But thankfully, we had been given a sensible amount time within which to accomplish it so we could enjoy it and focus on refinement, elevated execution and seasoning.

Friday was the perfect end to a full-on week: an all day bread dem with Grace, our resident carbs expert. Grace took us through the lengthy and involved methods of making sourdough and focaccia, plus two recipes for using up trash starter: an incredibly moist banana bread and some crisp, flavoursome olive oil crackers.

We start next week with our second formal assessment of the term which involves killing and preparing a whole crab. Having been shown the ropes this week (pushing a steel through the body using extra heft from a saucepan) it is not a task that we are all relishing….

But for now, the weekend to enjoy and a gorgeous reunion of the original Blue B crew at Osteria Angelina.