Ever since I saw Antonio Bachour’s recipe of Opera in the So Good magazine, I was set to make it! Anyone following my blog closely knows I admire his work and I was eager to try one of his recipes. The stars aligned so that I had to make a chocolate dessert for a blog campaign so there I was with the recipe written in my notebook and the ingredients aligned on the table.

Funny thing is that I was mentioning in one of my previous posts that I am no longer a chocoholic and here I am posting a recipe that used tons of chocolate. See how things get a turn in the world of pastry? Today you’re working with mango, tomorrow the client might want caramel, today it’s chocolate, tomorrow it’s basil. All sorts of flavors, tastes and textures that make this adventure even better!

This cake though, look at it! It’s so scrumptious, so creamy, so decadent and delicious! Its elements are quite simple: an almond sponge cake, an ultra creamy cremeux, a crunchy glaze and a topping that I couldn’t stop eating! All this together form a cake that one cannot resist eating!

{Coffee Chocolate Bar} Print Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop Ingredients: Almond sponge cake: 210g almond praline

80g white sugar

210g whole eggs

55g dark chocolate (52-60%)

55g butter

15g cocoa powder

60g all-purpose flour

2g salt *Almond praline: 200g almonds, skinned

200g white sugar

2 tablespoons coconut oil Chocolate cremeux: 375ml heavy cream

375ml whole milk

150g egg yolks

175g white sugar

490g dark chocolate (52-60%)

4g gelatin sheets

2 teaspoons vanilla extract Gourmet glaze: 300g milk chocolate

200g dark chocolate (52-60%)

100ml vegetable oil

50g almond slices

50g paillete feuilletine Whipped coffee ganache: 200ml heavy cream A

30g glucose syrup

5g instant coffee

180g white chocolate

300ml heavy cream B Directions: Almond sponge cake: Preheat your oven to 180C and line a 25x35cm pan with parchment paper. Sift the cocoa powder with the flour and salt Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or a hot water bath. Mix the almond praline with the sugar and eggs in the bowl of your mixer for 5-8 minutes or until double in volume and light, airy. Fold in the chocolate and butter, followed by the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level it well. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool down in the pan before serving. *Almond praline: Caramelize the sugar until light in color. Add the almonds then transfer the mixture into a pan lined with baking paper. Allow to cool down completely then break into smaller pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse until powdery then add the oil and continue pulsing until a paste forms. Use right away or store in an airtight container until needed. Chocolate cremeux: Bloom the gelatin in cold water. Combine the heavy cream and milk and place on low heat. Combine the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl. Stream in the hot milk and cream then place back on heat and cook on low heat until the mixture reached 82C. Remove from heat and add the gelatin. Pour over the chocolate through a fine sieve. Using an immersion blender, mix the cremeux until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix well. Pour the cremeux over the sponge cake then place in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Gourmet glaze: Melt the two types of chocolate. Add the vegetable oil and mix well then stir in the almond slices and paillete feuilletine. Place aside until needed. Whipped chocolate ganache: Heat the heavy cream A and glucose in a pot. Remove from heat and stir in the coffee. Pour over the chocolate then blend well. Add the heavy cream B, unwhipped, and blend well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. To assemble the cake: Remove the cake from the freezer and cut into your desired shape and size. Carefully, dip the sides of each cake into the gourmet glaze. Whip the ganache until stiff then place it in a pastry bag fitted with a petal tip. Decorate the cakes with whipped ganache and chocolate. Enjoy! Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3226

Prajitura cu ciocolata si cafea Print Author: Olguta - Pastry Workshop Ingredients: Blat: 210g pralina cu migdale*

80g zahar alb

210g oua intregi

55g ciocolata Nestle Noir

55g unt

15g cacao pudra

60g faina alba

2g sare *Pralina de migdale: 200g migdale fara coaja, usor coapte

200g zahar alb

2 linguri ulei de cocos Cremeux de ciocolata: 375ml smantana pentru frisca

375ml lapte integral

150g galbenus

175g zahar alb

490g ciocolata Nestle Dessert Romania

4g gelatina foi

2 lingurite extract de vanilie Glazura "crocanta": 300g ciocolata cu lapte

200g ciocolata Nestle Dessert Romania

100ml ulei vegetal

50g fulgi de migdale, faramitati

50g paillete feuilletine Ganache batut cu cafea: 200ml smantana pentru frisca A

30g glucoza lichida

5g cafea instant

180g ciocolata alba

300ml smantana pentru frisca B Directions: Blat: Preincalziti cuptorul la 180C si tapetati o forma de 35x25cm cu hartie de copt. Cerneti faina cu cacaoa si sarea. Topiti ciocolata si untul pe baie de aburi sau la microunde. Mixati pralina cu migdale, zaharul alb si ouale intregi pentru 5-8 minute sau pana amestecul isi dubleaza volumul si devine pufos, deschis la culoare. Incorporati ciocolata si untul topite, iar la final adaugati ingredientele uscate cernute. Turnati aluatul in tava pregatita si coaceti pentru 15-20 minute. Lasati la racit in tava. (veti monta prajitura in aceeasi tava) *Pralina de migdale: Caramelizati zaharul pana obtineti un caramel deschis la culoare. Adaugati migdalele apoi turnati amestecul intr-o tava si lasati la racit. Rupeti bucati si bagati in robotul de bucatarie, pulsand pana obtineti o pudra. Adaugati uleiul si continuati sa blenduiti pana obtineti o pasta. Folositi imediat sau pastrati intr-un vas inchis ermetic. Cremeux de ciocolata: Hidratati gelatina in apa rece. Combinati smantana pentru frisca si laptele si puneti pe foc mic pana se incalzeste. Amestecati galbenusul cu zaharul alb intr-un bol. Turnati in fir subtire laptele fierbinte, apoi intoarceti pe foc. Gatiti pe foc mic pana amestecul atinge 82C. Luati de pe foc si adaugati gelatina, apoi strecurati peste ciocolata intr-un alt bol. Folosind un blender de mana, omogenizati foarte bine cremeux, apoi adaugati vanilia. Turnati crema peste blat si dati la congelator cateva ore. Glazura crocanta: Topiti cele doua tipuri de ciocolata. Adaugati uleiul si omogenizati, apoi incorporati fulgii de migdale si paillete. Dati deoparte. Ganache batut cu cafea: Incalziti smantana pentru frisca A si glucoza intr-un vas. Luati de pe foc si adaugati cafeaua instant apoi turnati peste ciocolata alba. Omogenizati cu un blender de mana apoi incorporati si smantana pentru frisca B (nebatuta). Dati la frigider cel putin 8 ore. Pentru a finisa prajitura: Taiati prajitura in dreptunghiuri dupa marimea dorita (8x3cm am ales eu, gandindu-ma ca e o prajitura suficient de consistenta si ciocolatoasa). Cu grija, glazurati laturile prajiturii in glazura crocanta. Mixati ganache-ul pana devine pufos si ferm apoi puneti intr-un pos cu dui pentru petale si decorati. Sa aveti pofta!! Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3226

O noua saptamana, o noua provocare, de aceasta data din parteacare mi-au trimis cateva tablete de ciocolata cu rugamintea sa le transform intr-un desert. Cumva s-au aliniat bine stelele caci aveam in asteptare o reteta incredibil de ciocolatoasa pe care asteptam sa o fac cu ocazia potrivita. Reteta este adaptata dupa Opera a lui Antonio Bachour si recunosc ca, desi nu mai sunt asa o mare ciocoholica, am mancat doua bucati din aceasta prajitura. Este absolut delicioasa si are o textura incredibila. Un blat pufos, delicat, o crema atat de fina si cremoasa si glazura usor crocanta care le imbraca uniform pe cele doua sunt perfecte chiar si asa. Insa Bachour pulseaza cu un ganache batut cu cafea care are o textura din alta lume! Este prajitura cu ciocolata perfecta!