Opera Cake Murder (A Patisserie Mystery with Recipes Book 8) Read online

  Clémence thought that Lucie must be insane. “You didn’t think the murder through, did you? You did it out of passion, then you fled, but then you thought you could pin it on someone else. It was the wrong person, but someone did get pinned nonetheless. Why did you try to sway me?”

  “I knew Karmen was innocent, but that seemed too easy. I thought I’d have some fun with you and the police with the Gabrielle business. When you pinned the blame on yet another wrong victim, I would’ve convinced you to let me write about it for my site.”

  “I never talk about my cases,” Clémence said.

  “I would’ve written something anyway.”

  “Is that how desperate you are for attention? What do you want, anyway?”

  “What everyone wants: fame, fans, adoration.” Lucie looked at Clémence. “What about you? You’re a girl on the verge. You could be a somebody, yet you want to be in the shadows. Why? What’s your plan?”

  “What plan? I like my privacy. I don’t know why you’re so calm. You’re going to be arrested for murder.”

  “No. I don’t think so,” Lucie said. “A photo is nothing. Karmen is still the guilty one. The police have way more against her. Mob connections?” She shook her head.

  Clémence only smiled. She crossed her arms and calmly sat back in her chair. Cyril and two of his men approached their little table.

  Lucie looked up, surprised. She whipped her head back to Clémence.

  “I told you,” Clémence said coolly. “You’re arrested for murder.”

  Cyril slapped handcuffs on one of her wrists and then twisted her other arm back.

  “Ow, you’re hurting me!” Lucie exclaimed.

  “I guess you’re feeling a fraction of what Natalie felt when you stabbed her,” Clémence said.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Wearing a mint strapless maxi dress, Clémence stood in a corner of the Damour salon de thé on a Saturday evening. All the guests had arrived for her art show, and she was nervous.

  On the surface, she was all smiles, working the room and making sure people were taken care of. However, she couldn’t bear to witness what people thought of her art. Even if it was paintings of dessert.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Arthur came over to her.

  “Of course I am,” Clémence chirped.

  Arthur gave her a knowing look. “Don’t worry. People love your work. Two have already sold. I put red stickers next to them.”

  “Really? Which ones?”

  Arthur led her to the one of three flying chocolate éclairs and another one of a pain au chocolat on a plate with a fork and knife beside it.

  “Who bought them? Separate buyers?”

  “I don’t know. Ben just told me they were sold.”

  Ben was in charge of the sales. He was an outgoing Englishman who was good at talking to people. When Clémence caught his eye, he winked at her and went back to talking to two guests.

  All her friends were in the room, along with her industry connections and family friends of her parents. Gabrielle was also there with her fiancé. She seemed particularly taken with the macaron painting.

  Someone she didn’t expect came through the doors: Tata Milan.

  “Bonsoir,” Clémence went over to greet her.

  “Bonsoir yourself,” Tata replied in her usual cold manner.

  “What brings you here?” Clémence asked.

  “I heard about how you helped the police capture that fashion blogger. I was impressed.”

  “Thanks,” Clémence said.

  “I got your flowers and card,” Tata said. “And I do feel bad about saying those things to you. I was angry because I’m not used to being accused of murder, but what I said wasn’t exactly classy, either.”

  “I understand why you were mad. I felt horrible for accusing you and for thinking you were the murderer. It was wrong of me to jump to conclusions like that.”

  “Well, all that’s behind us. Let’s just wipe the slate clean. How’s that?”

  Clémence smiled. “That would be great.”

  People could really surprise her sometimes. The nice ones could turn out to be killers and the grouchy ones to be really sweet. She had to keep learning not to take people at face value. First impressions weren’t worth much.

  If she judged people by first impressions, she’d never have been with Arthur.

  * * *

  After the guests had left, her friends drunk and gone home, and the caterers packed up and gone, Clémence and Arthur were left alone. She could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

  Half of her paintings had sold, and she would donate her profits to Gabrielle’s antibullying charity.

  When she and Arthur went outside and locked up, she fell into Arthur’s arms, hugging him tightly. It was past one a.m., and Paris had never been so quiet. Even the lights of the Eiffel Tower were off.

  “I love you,” she said. “Crazy week, but as long as I can see you every night, I’m happy.”

  Arthur smiled. He looked adorable under the moonlight.

  “I feel the same,” he said softly. “You know how I suggested moving in together?”

  Clémence nodded.

  He got down on one knee. “How about moving in together engaged?”

  He took out a box from his suit pocket. Clémence gasped.

  Arthur opened the box. It was the most beautiful diamond set in rose gold.

  “Will you marry me?” Arthur said.

  For a moment, she remained speechless. Then a smile spread across her tired face, the widest she’d probably ever smiled.

  “Yes, of course I’ll marry you!”

  * * *

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  ALL BOOKS BY HARPER LIN

  The Patisserie Mysteries

  Macaron Murder: Book 1

  Éclair Murder: Book 2

  Baguette Murder: Book 3

  Crêpe Murder: Book 4

  Box Set for Books 2-4

  Croissant Murder: Book 5

  Crème Brûlée Murder: Book 6

  Madeleine Murder: Book 7

  Opera Cake Murder: Book 8

  The Emma Wild Mysteries

  Killer Christmas: Book 1

  New Year’s Slay: Book 2

  Death of a Snowman: Book 3

  Valentine’s Victim: Book 4

  The Complete Emma Wild 4-Book Holiday Box Set

  The Wonder Cats Mysteries

  A Hiss-tory of Magic: Book 1

  Pawsitively Dead: Book 2

  RECIPE 1: CLASSIC OPERA CAKE RECIPE

  Makes 16 servings

  Ingredients for almond cake:

  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature

  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar

  • 6 large eggs

  • 2 cups ground blanched almonds

  • 2 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

  For coffee syrup:

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 tbsp. instant espresso

  For coffee buttercream:

  • 2 tbsp. boiling water

  • 2 tbsp. instant espresso

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 3 tbsp. water

  • 1 egg

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 14 tbsp. butter, room temperature

  For dark chocolate ganache:

  • 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 4 tbsp. butter, room temperature

  For chocolate glaze:

  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup butter

  Instructions for almond cake:

  Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two 15 × 12-inch pans with parchment paper. Butter paper. Set aside.


  Beat egg whites on high until foamy. Slowly put in the granulated sugar, until it is all incorporated. Beat meringue until glossy and it holds stiff peaks.

  In a separate bowl, beat ground almonds, icing sugar, and whole eggs on medium until mixture is light and foamy. Stir flour into the almond batter.

  Gently stir 1/4 of almond batter into whipped egg whites. Fold the remainder of the almond batter and the melted, cooled butter into the egg whites.

  Divide batter between two pans. Bake for 5 minutes until surface springs back with a light touch.

  Cover top of each cake with fresh parchment. Carefully turn cake over. Peel back old parchment from bottoms of cakes. Cover cakes with the parchment to prevent them from drying.

  For coffee syrup:

  Bring water, sugar, and instant espresso to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let cool for 5 minutes. Set aside to brush on cake later.

  For the coffee buttercream:

  Stir together boiling water and espresso powder. Set aside mixture.

  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring sugar, vanilla, and 3 tbsp. water to a boil. Cook until it reaches 255°F on a candy thermometer. Remove mixture from heat and allow it to cool slightly.

  In a bowl, beat egg and egg yolk until fluffy. Pour in sugar syrup while beating. Then mix in the coffee mixture. Continue beating on medium-high speed. Add butter slowly until fully incorporated. The buttercream is ready when it is thick and fluffy.

  For the ganache:

  Bring milk and cream to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan and stir in chocolate, 2 minutes. Stir in butter. Continue stirring ganache for 90 seconds.

  To assemble the cake:

  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a 10 × 10-inch square out of each layer of cake. Place first square on the baking sheet. Brush cake with espresso syrup. Spread 3/4 of coffee buttercream over the cake.

  Place the two spare rectangles of cake over buttercream. Brush the pieces with espresso syrup. Spread chocolate ganache over the cake in a smooth layer.

  Place last layer of cake over ganache. Brush with espresso syrup, then spread a thin layer of coffee buttercream.

  Chill cake in fridge for 1 hour before glazing.

  To glaze the cake:

  Boil butter, discarding solids. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and stir in butter until glaze is smooth.

  Pour chocolate glaze over cake. Allow it to set in fridge before serving.

  RECIPE 2: GREEN TEA OPERA CAKE RECIPE

  Ingredients for green tea cake:

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature

  • 1 tbsp. granulated sugar

  • 1 cup ground almonds

  • 1 cup icing sugar, sifted

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 tbsp matcha

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  For syrup:

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 1/4 tbsp. granulated sugar

  • 1 tsp. green tea liqueur

  For green tea buttercream:

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 tbsp. matcha

  • 2 large egg whites

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

  For chocolate ganache:

  • 7 oz. chocolate, chopped

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. heavy cream

  For chocolate glaze:

  • 3 ounces chocolate, chopped

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  Instructions for cake:

  Preheat oven to 425°F.

  Line a 12.5 × 15.5-inch pan with parchment paper and then grease it with butter. Beat egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar. Beat until peaks are stiff and glossy.

  In another bowl, beat almonds, icing sugar, matcha, and eggs until light and voluminous. Add flour and beat until flour is combined. Fold the meringue into the mixture.

  Fold in the butter.

  Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until lightly browned and springy to the touch, about 5 to 9 minutes.

  Loosen cake in pan by running a knife along the edges. Cover cake with parchment paper. Flip over. Peel parchment paper off, but cover cake with it while it cools to prevent drying.

  For syrup:

  Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

  For green tea buttercream:

  Mix sugar and matcha in a small bowl. Whisk them into egg whites in a bowl over a pan of simmering water for about 3 minutes, until mixture is hot to the touch. The sugar should be dissolved.

  Remove bowl from heat. Beat until cream is cool, about 5 minutes. Beat in butter one stick at a time. Beat the mixture until it thickens and becomes smooth, about 5 to 20 minutes.

  For chocolate ganache:

  Melt the chocolate in the heavy cream in a double boiler. Let cool for 10 minutes.

  Assembling the cake:

  Cut cake into four 6 × 7-inch pieces. Place 1 sheet of cake on a baking sheet. Moisten with syrup. Spread half of the buttercream over the cake.

  Place 1 sheet of cake on top of the buttercream and moisten with syrup. Spread chocolate ganache on top of that cake.

  Place 1 sheet of cake over the ganache. Moisten with syrup. Spread remaining buttercream over the cake.

  Place 1 sheet of the cake on top of the buttercream. Moisten with syrup.

  Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth it out. Refrigerate until it sets, about 30 minutes. Trim the sides for a smooth finish.

  RECIPE 3: ORANGE-VANILLA OPERA CAKE

  Ingredients for vanilla cake:

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature

  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar

  • 1 cup ground blanched almonds

  • 1 cup icing sugar, sifted

  • Pinch salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 large eggs

  For syrup:

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1.2 oz. granulated sugar

  • 1 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur

  For buttercream:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg white

  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

  • 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

  For white chocolate mousse:

  • 3.5 oz. white chocolate

  • 1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp. heavy cream

  • 1/2 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur

  For orange glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

  • 2 oranges, juiced and zested

  Instructions for cake:

  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12.5 × 15.5-inch pan with parchment paper and brush with 1/2 tablespoon of the melted butter.

  Whip egg whites on low speed until foamy. Then whip on medium-high speed until whites hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar. Whip on high speed until the whites are stiff and glossy.

  In a separate bowl, beat almonds, eggs, icing sugar, salt, and vanillas on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes. Add flour and beat at low speed until it disappears.

  Use rubber spatula to gently fold meringue into almond mixture. Then fold the remaining melted butter until combined. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan.

  Bake cake until slightly browned and springy to the touch, 5 to 9 minutes.

  Run knife along edges of cake to loosen from pan. Cover pan with parchment paper and turn pan over. Carefully peel away the parchment, but use parchment to cover the cake to prevent from drying. Cool at room temperature.

  For syrup:

  Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve ingredients
. Stir in liqueur. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool.

  For buttercream:

  Mix sugar and egg white in a bowl over simmering water until bowl feels hot, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved. Remove bowl from heat.

  Beat meringue on medium speed until cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

  Add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Once all the butter is in, beat buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, about 6 to 10 minutes. If buttercream curdles or separates, keeping beating.

  On medium speed, beat in orange juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, then the vanilla. The buttercream should be smooth and velvety.

  For white chocolate mousse:

  Melt chopped white chocolate and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk gently. Cool at room temperature.

  Place heavy cream in a bowl and mix. Add liqueur. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Stir 1 cup of whipped cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining cream. Don’t overmix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

  For orange glaze:

  Combine all ingredients over a double boiler. Cook until sugar and butter are melted and mixture has thickened. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Beat until smooth and slightly cool.

  Assembling the cake:

  Cut and trim cake into three 10 × 5-inch rectangles. Place 1 cake on a baking sheet lined with parchment and moisten gently with 1/3 of syrup. Spread half the buttercream over this layer.

  Top with another piece of cake. Moisten with 1/3 of syrup. Spread the remaining buttercream on the cake and then top with third cake.

  Use remaining syrup to wet the cake. Refrigerate until very firm, at least 30 minutes.

  Spread the mousse on the top layer of cake. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours for the mousse to firm up.

  Pour cooled glaze over the top of the chilled cake, spreading to evenly coat the cake if necessary. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.

  Serve slightly chilled.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Harper Lin lives in Kingston, Ontario with her husband, daughter, and Pomeranian puppy. When she’s not reading or writing cozy mysteries, she’s in yoga class, hiking, or hanging out with her family and friends. The Patisserie Mysteries draws from Harper’s own experiences of living in Paris in her twenties. She is currently working on more cozy mysteries in several different series.