Ingredients

• 7 free-range eggs
• whites only (yolks reserved for buttercream)
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• 260g/9½oz ground almonds
• 260g/9½oz icing sugar
• 7 free-range eggs
• 85g/3oz plain flour
• 55g/2oz unsalted butter
• melted and cooled
• plus extra for greasing
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
• 700g/1lb 9oz caster sugar
• 200g/7oz flaked almonds
• toasted
• 8 free-range egg yolks (partly from above)
• 300g/10½oz butter
• at room temperature
• 230ml/8fl oz double cream
• pinch saffron threads
• 140g/5oz dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
• broken into small pieces
• 140g/5oz milk chocolate
• broken into small pieces
• 1 tbsp soft butter
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 1 tsp coffee essence
• 3-4 tbsp amaretto liqueur
• pinch saffron threads
• 50g/1¾oz dark chocolate
• 300g/10½oz white chocolate
• pinch saffron threads
• 240ml/8½fl oz cream
• 225g/8oz dark chocolate
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp liquid glucose (or butter)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease and line 3 x 23x31cm/9x12.5in Swiss roll tins.
• For the sponge cake
• whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the caster sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl
• beat the almonds
• icing sugar and eggs until doubled in volume. Fold in the flour
• then stir in the melted butter and vanilla extract.
• Fold in the stiff egg whites until incorporated and then quickly divide the batter equally between the prepared tins (approximately 275g/9¾oz per tin).
• Bake in the preheated oven for five minutes
• or until springy to the touch and lightly golden-brown.
• When the cake is cooked set it aside to cool.
• For the praline buttercream
• make a caramel. Melt 400g/14oz of the caster sugar in a heavy-based pan until it is a deep golden-brown (CAUTION: do not leave unattended). Add the flaked almonds then spread in a thin layer on a silicon mat. Set aside to cool. When the praline is cold and hard
• break it into chunks and place in a food processor. Blend the praline to a powder.
• Add the remaining caster sugar and 80ml/2½fl oz of water to a pan and slowly heat to 113C/235F (use a sugar thermometer for this).
• Meanwhile
• whisk the egg yolks in a freestanding mixer until light and fluffy.
• When the sugar syrup reaches 113C/235F add it to the egg yolks in a large bowl in a slow stream
• whisking all the time. Keep whisking until the mixture has cooled.
• Beat the butter until soft then gradually add it to the yolk mixture. Stir in the crushed praline and set aside.
• For the ganache
• warm the cream over a low heat
• then add the saffron and set aside to infuse for a few minutes.
• Heat the cream to boiling point
• then remove it from the heat and add the chocolate. Set aside for five minutes to let the chocolate melt.
• Stir the cream to incorporate the melted chocolate. Mix in the soft butter and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile
• for the syrup
• gently heat 150ml/5½fl oz of water and the sugar in a pan to make a syrup. When all the sugar has dissolved bring the syrup to a boil for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add the coffee essence
• amaretto and saffron. Set aside.
• For the decoration
• melt the dark chocolate and pour into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe an 'O' for opera onto a rectangular piece of acetate/greaseproof paper (approximately 7x5cm/2¾x2in) and place it in the freezer to set.
• Meanwhile
• melt half of the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. When the chocolate reaches 45C/113F add the saffron. Add 50g/1¾oz of the remaining white chocolate and allow it to melt before stirring to combine.
• When the dark chocolate ‘O’ is set hard
• quickly smooth the melted white chocolate over the top and return to the freezer to set.
• When the white chocolate is almost set
• peel away the acetate/greaseproof paper and place the chocolate rectangle onto a chopping board (you'll see the dark 'O' against the white chocolate background). Tidy the edges using a sharp knife
• if necessary
• then return to the freezer to set completely.
• To construct the cake
• place one of the cakes on a serving plate. Drizzle over a third of the syrup
• spread over half the buttercream and top with half the ganache. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat the process
• using the same amount of syrup
• half the remaining buttercream and all the ganache. Place the final layer of cake on top and drizzle with the remaining syrup. Cover the top with a thin
• smooth layer of buttercream (a crumb coat) then place the whole cake in the freezer to set the buttercream (so it doesn’t melt when you add the dark chocolate glaze).
• For the dark chocolate glaze
• heat the cream until scalding. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to sit for a minute. Gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth
• then add the liquid glucose.
• For the chocolate decoration
• melt the remaining white chocolate and pour into a piping bag with a small plain nozzle attached.
• When the buttercream is chilled
• pour a smooth layer of the dark chocolate glaze on top of the cake
• taking care not to let it run down the edges. Place the chocolate decoration in the middle and pipe the melted white chocolate into shapes to decorate.