Technical Stages :

• Flavour the 16° syrup with Grand-Marnier or Cointreau.
• Prepare the baked joconde biscuit on a baking sheet. Count on 2 biscuits to make the Opera.
• Coat the first joconde piece with chocolate. Leave to harden in the fridge.
• Flip the coated piece of biscuit and place on a sheet of parchment paper.
• Soak with syrup using a brush.
• Spread a 2 to 3 mm coating of chocolate ganache on the biscuit using a metal spatula.
• Repeat the process with the coffee flavoured butter cream.
• Place the second piece of baked Joconde biscuit on top.
• Soak with syrup once again.
• Spread a 2 to 3 mm coat of chocolate ganache on the biscuit using a metal spatula.
• Repeat the process with the coffee flavoured butter cream.
• Cover the butter cream with plastic wrap and level the cake using a rolling pin to obtain a very flat surface. Leave to harden in the fridge. Ideally overnight.
• Remove the plastic wrap.
• Take the chocolate icing and check the smoothness. It must be fluid and cold.
• Pour the icing on the surface of the Opera.
• Spread this icing well using a metal spatula. Leave to harden in the fridge.
• Trim the sides to obtain a very neat square or rectangle.
• This is the cut of the Opera.
• The total thickness of the cake must not exceed 3 to 3,5 cm.