opera-esque tortes

[breadster]

i want to make a torte similar to opera but perhaps replacing a sponge layer with a layer of dacquoise or a japonaise - are there certain reasons to use a genoise vs a sponge vs a jaconde or meringue....

also how do you keep the open (unglazed) sides from drying out?

any advise will be greatly appreciated!

 

[momoreg]

You could replace a layer with japonaise, why not? But then you have the problem of trying to keep the sponge moist without making the meringue soggy. The only way to keep the spong moist is by soaking it in syrup, and of course, covering the exposed sides with plastic until ready to serve.

I guess if you were really bent on using a moist sponge with meringue, you should at least keep the meringue as a top layer, so that the moisture doesn't seep down into it. And then you have to cut it (with a serrated knife)when it's cold, in order to get a cleaner cut.

 

[breadster]

thanks m-

but wouldnt a buttercream or ganache filling cause sogginess in a japonaise or other meringue type layer - or is it only the soaking syrup on sponge combo?

 

[momoreg]

Breadster,
Yes, after awhile, the buttercream or ganache would sog the meringue, but not as quickly as if you had a layer of soaked sponge. Meringue cakes have a notoriously short shelf life.

 

[nick.shu]

i second that, soaked sponges dont have that short a life time - you find generally that what enrobes the cake tends to turn first - i.e. creams, butter creams etc, and i believe that generally, sponges soaked or otherwise, would probably turn last.

Only a personal opinion, but anyway.

 

[breadster]

how long a shelf life does a buttercream/soaked sponge cake have?