When the clock is ticking and Christmas Eve is upon us, there’s nothing quite like a whimsical dessert (okay, and a fab outfit!) to sprinkle that extra touch of holiday magic. Introducing the Dasher Coffee cake by Kirsten Tibballs and Jura – a show-stopping creation that captures the spirit of the season with its charming reindeer design. Despite its impressive appearance, this cake is surprisingly straightforward to assemble, making it the perfect last minute Christmas dessert for your festive celebrations. So, don your apron and get ready to dazzle your guests with this delicious treat! Forget Rudolph the red-nose reindeer, this year Dasher is the star of the show!
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INGREDIENTS (for the sponge)
260g unsalted butter, room temperature
110g caster sugar
150g brown sugar
10g Vanilla Bean Paste
150g whole eggs
320g plain flour, sieved
4g ground cinnamon
2g ground cardamon
15g baking powder
3g bicarbonate soda
3g sea salt
90g Greek yoghurt
60g Almonds, roughly chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F), fan forced. Grease 3x 180mm rings/tins with oil.
- Place the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until light and aerated.
- Meanwhile, roughly break up the eggs. While continuing to mix, gradually add the eggs to the butter mixture, ensuring it completely incorporates after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as required.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, cardamon, baking powder, bicarbonate powder and salt, then mix on low speed until combined.
- Add the yoghurt to the cake mixture and mix to incorporate. Divide evenly between the 3 prepared tins. Use the back of a spoon to spread the mixture. Scatter the top of the batter with chopped almonds, then bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 28 minutes, until golden-brown in colour and the cake bounces back when gently pressed in the centre.
- Allow to cool slightly at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tins and transferring to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely at room temperature.
INGREDIENTS (for the coffee vanilla soak)
50g icing Sugar
135ml coffee, Jura Cold Brew espresso (3x45mL)
1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Use the cold brew function on the Jura Coffee Machine to produce 3 x 45ml (135ml) of cold brew espresso.
- Mix in the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste
- Soak the sponge with a brush as it comes out of the oven
INGREDIENTS (for the coffee buttercream)
120g Egg Whites
Pinch Cream of Tartar
240g Caster Sugar
90ml coffee, Jura Double Espresso (2x45mL)
480g Unsalted Butter
2tsp Vanilla Bean
INSTRUCTIONS
- Use the Double Espresso function on the Jura Coffee Machine to produce 90ml of espresso.
- Create an Italian meringue by placing the sugar and double espresso into a saucepan (mixture will bubble up) and stir until it starts to boil, wash the sides of the bowl down if needed with a brush and water if any undissolved crystals appear on the side.
- Start whisking the egg whites when the sugar mixture reaches 110°C at 115°C your egg whites should be at a soft peak.
- Cook the syrup to 116C and slowly add the boiling sugar syrup to the egg whites and continue mixing.
- Slowly added the chopped butter until it is all incorporated add vanilla. Store at room temperature for a few hours, if you place in the fridge it will need to be re-whipped.
INGREDIENTS (for the vanilla custard)
210g Milk
2tsp Vanilla bean paste
42g Sugar
14g Cornflour
110g Yolks
72g Callebaut white chocolate
85g Unsalted Butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil the milk with vanilla bean paste, mix the cornflour and sugar then add in the egg yolks.
- Pour the boiled milk onto the egg mixture and whisk together before placing back into the saucepan and whisking while it comes back to a boil.
- Add in the white chocolate and whisk.
- Cool to slightly and add the softened butter adding gradually while whisking by hand. This process can also be done in a mixer.
- Once all the chocolate and butter is incorporated press plastic wrap onto the surface of the bowl. Set in the fridge for 2 hours.
INGREDIENTS (for the gingerbread antlers)
215g plain flour
60g caster sugar
7g gingerbread spice
100g honey
15g unsalted butter, softened
3g bicarbonate of soda
30g hot water
plain flour, for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the flour, sugar, gingerbread spice, honey and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until you achieve a fine powder and there are no lumps of butter.
- Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the hot water and add it to the mixture. Continue to mix until all the ingredients are incorporated and it comes together as dough.
- Press the dough into a flat disc, 1cm thick and cover in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it in half. Lightly dust the bench surface with flour and roll until 6mm thin.
- Using an antler stencil, cut two antlers and bake on a silpane at 180C FF oven for 11 minutes until golden brown.
ASSEMMBLY
- Soak each layer of sponge with the coffee soak.
- Put the butter cream in a piping bag with a 18mm plain nozzle and the vanilla custard in a piping bag with a 15mm plain Nozzle.
- Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the first layer of sponge, followed by another ring of vanilla custard.
- Continue with a second round ring of buttercream and finish the centre with vanilla custard so there are four distinct rings/circle of filling.
- Place the second sponge on top of the filling and repeat the same process with the soak and the two fillings.
- Place the final sponge on top and soak with the syrup.
- Pipe more buttercream around the sides of the cake and on top.
- Level off with a palate knife to coat the cake until all the edges are smooth.
- Place into the fridge to fully set.
- Decorate with the gingerbread antlers and Christmas decorations such as chocolate bells.
