歐貝拉蛋糕 / Opéra cake

(by Café Flâneur staff Jonathan Wu / Y老闆中文翻譯)

歐貝拉(Opera)是法式蛋糕的一種，具有方形和多層次的外表，咬下一口即可感受到豐富的滋味和質地在味蕾上跳舞的感覺。歐貝拉由三層不同食材重複堆疊而成，分別是以咖啡浸潤的杏仁海綿蛋糕(法文稱為Joconde, 而法文的蒙娜麗莎就叫做La Joconde，真是美麗的巧合)、咖啡奶油淇淋(buttercream)以及”甘納許”，最頂層再覆上黑巧克力。

The Opéra cake is a type of French cake that is rectangular shaped with visible layers, where with just one bite, one is able to taste the entire cake’s flavour and texture. It is created with three delicate layers of almond sponge cake, also known as Joconde in French, which is bathed in coffee syrup.  Then it is garnished with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache while the top of the cake is coated in a dark chocolate glaze.

歐貝拉的起源眾說紛紜，有一派說法認為歐貝拉是由20世紀初法國知名的糕點師傅路易·克力許(Louis Clichy)所發明，他將此種蛋糕以自己的名字命名為”克力許”(Clichy)。然而，巴黎的甜點老店Dalloyau宣稱歐貝拉是1955年由其店裡的糕點師傅 Cyriaque Gavillon所發明。當時Gavillon的妻子為了向巴黎歌劇院(Opéra de Paris)的某個芭蕾首席女舞者表示崇敬之意，便將她丈夫所發明的蛋糕命名為歐貝拉蛋糕(法文為Opéra Gâteau)

There are conflicting theories as to the origin of this cake.  Some say that the cake was originally created at the beginning of the 20th century by Louis Clichy, a famous pastry chef, who naturally named it ‘the Clichy’.  However, the Parisian pâtisserie house, Dalloyau, claims its chef, Cyriaque Gavillon, invented this cake in 1955.  It was his wife who named it the ‘Opéra Gâteau’ or Opera Cake in tribute of a prima ballerina (a highly distinguished ballet dancer) in the Paris Opera, and so it is mostly known as the opera cake today.

不管歐貝拉的發明者是誰，其豐華的滋味和口感值得甜點愛好者一試。歐貝拉和一杯好的黑咖啡 /單品咖啡是很棒的搭配，當黑咖啡的甘醇遇上歐貝拉巧克力的濃馥，兩者豐富的香氣彼此交融，形成一種強烈又和諧的美味，讓你不顧一切要吃上一口！(描寫食物實在非Y老闆專長，我只是照著Jonathan的原文翻譯，如有誇張濫情之處，請大家不要見怪ㄋㄟ:P )

Regardless of who was the first to invent the opera cake, it is certainly worth trying for those who want to indulge in a rich and decadent cake, especially with a cup of quality black coffee. When the flavour of the black coffee mixes with the chocolate, the rich aroma of the coffee and opera cake escalates in a stormy yet synergistic blend. The result is to die for!

歐貝拉蛋糕+耶加雪非單品咖啡+Lonely Planet法國=味蕾和心靈的美妙旅行:)
Opéra cake+Single origin brewed coffee+Lonely Planet France= a lovely trip of taste bud and mind!:)