Vegan Opera Cake Recipe

This vegan opera cake is a great thing to have in your repertoire. Pistachio, passionfruit, raspberry make a mosaic of soft, warm colours, like summertime. Recipe from Danielle Maupertuis, Vegan Pastry Chef

                                          

Vegan OPERA CAKE

   Vegan Opera Cake Photo credit Darrin Jenkins

 

 

Vegan opera cake Preparation notes

Makes 5 cakes  3 x 3 x 8 cm

Preparation time:  40 mins + 2 extra hours to set

Cooking time: 15 mins

 

1. PISTACHIO SPONGE

 

• 25g ground almonds
• 25g ground pistachios
• 25g gluten-free plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 15g cornflour
• 40g golden caster sugar
• 65g milk alternative
• 1 ½ Tbsp rapeseed oil

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C / gas mark 5.
2. Grind the pistachios in a food processor.
3. In a mixing bowl, using the paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients together until smooth consistency, with no remaining lumps.
4. Pour the sponge in a pre-lined baking tray. Spread evenly – 8mm thick – with a palette knife and bake at 190C for 15mins.
5. Check if a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool down.
6. Transfer to the freezer for ½ hour, they will be easier to cut.

 

2. PASSION FRUIT MOUSSELINE

• 125g passion fruit juice or purée
• 30g golden caster sugar
• 15g cornflour
• ½ Tbsp cashew butter
• 50g hard vegan block

 

Method

1. In a mixer whisk together the cashew butter, sugar, cornflour and about 25 ml of the liquid.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom saucepan, bring the remaining juice to the boil.

Out of the heat, pour the previous mix into the boiling liquid, continue to whisk until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Bring back to a low heat and stir continuously until the mixture starts bubbling and thickens.

Transfer to the fridge.

2. Keep the vegan block at room temperature, place in a bowl. Slowly add the passion fruit cream and, with an electric hand mixer, whisk until fluffy.

Keep refrigerated.

 

3. RASPBERRY JELLY

 

• 125g raspberry purée
• 30g golden caster sugar
• ¾ tsp agar agar powder

 

Method

 

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring all the ingredients to the boil, stirring continuously.

When the jelly reaches the boiling point, continue to whisk for another 20 sec, then take off the heat. Allow to cool.

 

 

4. ASSEMBLING

1. The refinement of this cake resides in its apparent simplicity, for it is important the layers are regular and neat. Therefore, I suggest to assemble the cakes in these individual rectangle moulds.
2. Cut 10 pistachio sponges 3 x 8 cm. Place the first one in the bottom of the mould. Pipe a layer of passion fruit mousseline (about 3 mm thick) on top of the sponge and let it set for ½ h at least in the freezer.
3. 3. Melt the jelly gently in the microwave 15 sec at a time, temperature should not exceed 45C. Pour over the passion fruit cream, same thickness.

Return to the freezer for another ½ h.

4.Repeat these steps a second time and let the cake definitively set in the freezer.

 

1. DECORATION for vegan opera cake
2. Decorate with a fresh raspberry, and a small golden leaf.

Enjoy!

 

This  vegan opera cake recipe is part of my cookbook “Vegans deserve better than a fruit salad” Olympia Publishers, available on my website www.freefromdesserts.com/books

 

 

Danielle Maupertuis, Vegan Pastry Chef

www.freefromdesserts.com

www.facebook.com/freefromdesserts

www.instagram.com/dmaupertuis

 

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