“I got the love of baking from my mother, and now my daughter and I bake even though my mother is no longer with us.”
About Ayesha
An artist by nature, Ayesha Said creates desserts, grazing boards, and custom cheese and charcuterie boards with elaborate condiment pairings. She is located in the United Arab Emirates, and her favorite clients in Abu Dhabi often request highly-detailed cakes. She challenges herself by decorating cakes with intricate designs.
The Cook’s Cook Community Forum group on Facebook is honored to introduce our member Ayesha Said. The former banker-turned-professional-baker is proprietor of Art Sugar Studio, and is one of our community’s top contributors.
Ayesha Said was raised in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. After finishing college she met her husband while working in a bank, leaving that job a few years later to start a family. They now have three teenagers in the household.
Ayesha is Indian and her husband is Pakistani. He is a technology professional who supports her work and encourages her endeavors, which include spending time with family, baking, and gardening. She is currently writing a book about her family’s history.
Q. How did you get started professionally?
My daughter and I used to try new dessert recipes and post them on social media. Over time, people started to notice our efforts, so my father insisted that I become a professional. He said it was my calling, so I took a course on cake decorating and haven’t looked back since.
Q: Who would be a dream client?
I never gave a thought about it. It’s just a pleasure to feed.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you face professionally as a baker, entrepreneur?
It would be to spend hours with customers discussing their needs and then they don’t order. Other than that, there has been a shortage in baking ingredients lately and high prices.
Q. Is there anything you cannot live without in the kitchen?
My oven I guess, I have one those tall bakery ovens and I’m ready to use it for everything.
Q. What are your dreams and goals?
I would love to have a cafe and a cheese shop that I would like to turn into a B&B someday.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a classic Italian no-bake dessert made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and incredible mascarpone cream. This easy recipe is truly the best homemade tiramisu. The custard-like cream is excellent and contains no raw egg. Tiramisu may be prepared in a 23 by 33 cm (9 by 13 inch) casserole dish, but is especially pretty when served in a footed glass bowl lined with cocoa-dusted ladyfingers.
Add tiramisu to your holiday menu. For another great dessert by the same author, don’t miss Opera Cake.
Ingredients
- •355 ml (1 1/2 cups) espresso or strong coffee, at room temperature
- •90 ml (6 tablespoons) golden rum
- •40 ladyfingers, or more if needed for lining the edge of a bowl
- •6 large egg yolks
- •177 ml (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- •454 grams (16 ounces) mascarpone, chilled
- •473 ml (2 cups) heavy cream, chilled
- •30-45 ml (2-3 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder, or as needed, for dusting
- •118 ml (1/2 cup) chopped semi-sweet chocolate, for garnish
Preparation
- Set aside a 23 by 33 cm (9 by 13 inch) casserole dish or a footed glass bowl. In a mixing bowl, stir together the espresso and 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of the rum. Quickly dip half of the ladyfingers, one at a time, on one side only, and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the dish. They should be moist, but do not soak them or the cake will collapse.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Place over steam (over a saucepan with simmering water) and whisk over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is lighter in color and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk for a few minutes off the heat to help it cool down, then set aside to cool while doing the next step.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the mascarpone and remaining 45 ml (3 tablespoons) rum. In a separate bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula to gently fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone cream, then blend in remaining whipped cream just until incorporated.
Add cooled down egg and sugar mix to whipped cream and mascarpone, use spatula to fold it, then it is ready to use for layering.
If lining the edge of a bowl with ladyfingers, dip them, dust with cocoa, and arrange vertically in the bowl. Spread half of the cream over the first layer of ladyfingers. Dip and arrange another layer of ladyfingers. Add the remaining cream and spread it evenly. Refrigerate overnight. Dust with cocoa powder before serving*. Garnish with chopped chocolate.
Opera Cake
Opera Cake is a rich French dessert.
Opera Cake is filled with French coffee buttercream, and chocolate ganache, stacked between almond and meringue sponge cake (known as joconde). Finally, the Opera Cake is coated in chocolate glaze.
I was looking for more coffee-flavored desserts after discovering Tiramisu. This is a much-loved Italian dessert with a coffee flavor. After tasting Opera Cake, I realized how well coffee and chocolate go together. It is a match made in heaven. Like Tiramisu, this beautiful cake has layers…cream filling layers and more…
Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours or overnight before glazing. You can chill it for up to 1 day, so it’s a great make-ahead dessert recipe!
Why the name OPERA CAKE? “There are many great French cakes but for connoisseurs, the cake known as Opera represents a taste of France at its most sophisticated and delicious.”
Ingredients
For the almond sponge cake (joconde):
- •40 grams (1/2 cup) almond flour
- •40 grams (1/3 cup) confectioners (powdered) sugar
- •1 egg, at room temperature
- •25 grams (1/2 cup) cake flour
- •2 egg whites, at room temperature
- •50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
For the coffee syrup:
- •10 ml (2 teaspoons) instant espresso powder
- •25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
For the coffee buttercream:
- •2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- •25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- •100 grams (7 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- •5 ml (1 teaspoon) instant espresso powder
- •10 ml (2 teaspoons) rum, optional
For the chocolate ganache:
- •160 grams (5.5 ounces) semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
- •237 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
For the chocolate glaze and decoration:
- •100 grams (3 ½ ounces) semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) canola or other vegetable oil
- •Edible gold leaf flakes, optional
Notes
- Double the recipe: You can double this recipe, in which case bake the sponge on a 25×38 cm (10×15 inch) baking sheet.
- Espresso: It’s better to use super strong flavor for this recipe.
- Chocolate: Very important to use high-quality baking chocolate to create a smooth chocolate glaze.
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
You’ll need a medium-sized sheet pan (about 8×10 inch). Line it with parchment paper and set aside.
If you don’t have the exact size, you can use a larger baking pan, and mark a 25×38 cm (8×10-inch) area.2. For the almond sponge cake (joconde):
Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together, and mix with the egg.
Add cake flour and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites, and add sugar until stiff peaks form.
Combine the whipped whites and almond mixture.
Pour the batter into a prepared sheet pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden.
Let it cool completely and divide the cake into 3 equal pieces.
3. For the coffee syrup:
In a small bowl combine 100 ml (1/4 cup) hot water, espresso powder and sugar. Add rum, if using.
Whisk to dissolve, and set aside to cool.
4. For the coffee buttercream:
Beat the egg yolks until creamy. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) water.
Place over medium heat and stir constantly. When it reaches 115°C (240°F), pour it over the creamy egg yolks and mix.
Add the softened butter and beat until smooth.
Whisk together espresso and rum, and add to the mixture. Mix until combined. Set aside.
5. For the chocolate ganache:
Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.
Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until boiling. Immediately pour over the chocolate and stir until combined. Set aside to cool.
6. To assemble the Opera Cake:
Brush the sponge cake layer with coffee syrup.
Spread half of the buttercream on top and even the surface with an offset spatula.
Then spread half of the cooled chocolate ganache evenly on top.
Add another sponge cake layer, and again brush with coffee syrup and spread the other half of the buttercream.
Add the last layer of sponge cake and brush with coffee syrup.
Spread the rest of chocolate ganache on top evenly, spreading it as smoothly as possible.)
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
7. For the glaze:
In a double boiler or heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water (the water shouldn’t touch the bottom of the bowl), melt the chocolate.
Add the oil to the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
8. To finish the Opera Cake:
Set aside a small amount of the chocolate glaze for decoration.
Place the chilled cake over a rack placed on a baking sheet.
Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake and use a spatula to smooth out the surface.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour to set.
9. To serve the Opera Cake:
Pour boiling water over a knife and wipe with a paper towel before cutting into the cake. (This will ensure a clean cut without cracking the surface of the chocolate glaze.) Cut the cake into 5-6 even pieces.
Spoon the reserved glaze into a piping bag with a small writing tip, and write “Opera” on each piece.
If desired, you can add a few flakes of edible gold leaf as decoration.
Serve and enjoy!
Apple Tart with Almond Frangipane
The flavorful combination of crispy flaky and buttery crust with nutty and fragrant frangipane and juicy apples brushed with rich apricot jam make a perfect tart. This is a no ordinary tart; it has lots of character – it’s a classy, decadent tart. Frangipane is a pastry filling made with finely ground almonds or almond meal. It is sometimes referred to as almond cream.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry:
- •150 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- •113 grams (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into thin slices
- •5 ml (1 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- •A dash of salt
For the frangipane pastry cream:
- •143 grams (1 cup) shelled almonds
- •60 ml (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- •1 large egg
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
- •Dash of vanilla
To assemble and bake:
- •4 large russet apples (about 2 pounds)
- •60 ml (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- •237 ml (1 cup) apricot preserves
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) Calvados, whiskey, or water
Preparation
For the shortcrust pastry: Mix the flour, butter, sugar, and salt quickly with your fingertips until the butter is in pieces about the size of dried beans. Quickly stir in 30 ml (2 tablespoons) cold water into the mixture and gather up the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Press it into a flat dish shape. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the frangipane pastry cream.
For the frangipane pastry cream: Preheat oven to 180° C (350°F). Spread the almonds on a cookie sheet and roast for 7 or 8 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a food processor and add sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla. Process until a creamy paste forms.
To assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F). Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment or a silicone pad. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 38 cm (15 inches) long by 25 cm (10 inches) wide, with rough edges. Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and then unroll it directly onto the lined pan. Spread the frangipane on the dough, stopping about 4 cm (1 ½ inches) from the outer edge on all sides.
Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into 1.3 cm (½ inch) thick slices. Arrange them attractively in a slightly overlapping pattern, like the tiles of a roof, on the pastry dough so that the apples cover the frangipane. Fold the edge of the dough back over the apples to make a 4 cm (1 ½ inch) border of dough. Increase the oven temperature to 200° C (400° F). Sprinkle the sugar over the apples, letting a little of the sugar fall onto the border to help crystallize the dough. Break the butter into pieces and scatter them over the tart. Bake for 1 hour. The dough should be nicely crystallized all over.
Remove the finished tart from the oven and cool on a rack until lukewarm. Dilute the apricot preserves with the Calvados or water and glaze the surface of the tart, spreading it carefully on the apples with the underside of a spoon. Let cool on a wire rack.
