Tonka'ffee Cake (Chocolate, Caramel & Coffee Cake with Tonka Bean)
Tonka’ffee is a rich and elegant entremet that brings together the warmth of coffee, the deep notes of chocolate, and the smooth aroma of Tonka bean—a rare and fragrant seed with hints of vanilla and sweet almond. This dessert combines a soft coffee sponge, silky caramel cream, a crunchy chocolate layer, and creamy mousses, all wrapped in a glossy mirror glaze. A perfect treat for coffee enthusiasts and fine pastry lovers alike.
Ingredients
☕ Coffee Sponge Cake
- 83 g butter
- 67 g sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 egg whites
- 20 g sugar for the meringue
- 83 g flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- 1 tbsp cream
🍪 Streusel for Crunch Layer
- 20 g soft butter
- 15 g sugar
- 25 g flour
- 5 g cocoa powder
- 20 g ground hazelnuts or almonds
🍫 Crunchy Chocolate Layer
- 40 g milk couverture
- 15 g cocoa nibs
- 30 g praline paste
- 10 g crêpes dentelles or feuilletine
- Prepared streusel from above
🍯 Caramel Cream
- 33 g sugar
- 4 g glucose syrup
- 57 g cream
- 6 g cocoa butter
- 48 g milk couverture
- 10 g butter
🍫 Chocolate Mousse with Tonka Bean
- 54 g cream
- 54 g milk
- A touch of vanilla powder or extract
- 1.2 g grated Tonka bean
- 1 egg yolk
- 6 g sugar
- 40 g Valrhona Azelia 35% hazelnut milk chocolate or milk couverture
- ½ sheet gelatin
🌿 Light Coffee Mousse
- 96 g milk
- 96 g cream Part I
- 40 g whole coffee beans
- 2 egg yolks
- 20 g sugar
- 56 g white chocolate couverture
- 3 gelatin sheets
- 200 g cream Part II, softly whipped
✨ Mirror Glaze
- 120 g glucose syrup
- 120 g sugar
- 60 g water Part I
- 8 g powdered gelatin
- 48 g cold water Part II
- 120 g milk chocolate couverture
- 80 g sweetened condensed milk
- Yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
Coffee Sponge Cake
- Heat 1 tbsp cream and dissolve 2 tsp instant coffee. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-assisted).
- Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg yolks one by one.
- Whip the egg whites with 20 g sugar to stiff peaks.
- Sift flour with baking powder, fold into the butter mixture, then add meringue and coffee cream.
- Spread into a mold, smooth the surface, and bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Crunchy Chocolate Layer
- Streusel:
- Mix all streusel ingredients until crumbly. Bake and let cool. Crumble finely.
- Crunch Base:
- Melt milk chocolate and cocoa nibs. Add praline paste and streusel, then fold in feuilletine.
- Press into mold using a glass. Chill until semi-set.
- Place the sponge layer on top, adjust edges. Freeze.
Caramel Cream
- Caramelize sugar with glucose.
- Warm cream, pour in gradually (it will bubble).
- Add butter and stir until smooth.
- Melt milk couverture and cocoa butter, combine with caramel.
- Spread over sponge layer quickly, as it sets fast. Freeze.
Chocolate Mousse with Tonka Bean
- Heat milk, cream, Tonka, and vanilla. Cover and infuse 15 min.
- Soften gelatin. Melt chocolate.
- Whisk yolk with sugar. Reheat cream, temper yolk, cook to 82°C.
- Pour over chocolate and mix. Add gelatin.
- Spread mousse over frozen caramel. Smooth and freeze overnight.
Light Coffee Mousse
- Heat milk + cream (Part I) with coffee beans. Infuse 30 min. Strain and adjust to 192 g.
- Soften gelatin. Whisk yolks and sugar.
- Reheat milk, temper yolks, cook to 82°C. Add gelatin.
- Pour over white chocolate. Mix until smooth.
- Cool slightly, then fold in whipped cream once it starts to thicken.
Mirror Glaze
- Bloom gelatin in cold water (Part II).
- Bring glucose, sugar, water (Part I) to 103°C.
- Remove from heat, stir in condensed milk and gelatin.
- Pour over chocolate, let sit, add color, and blend gently.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Chill overnight.
Assembly & Finishing
- Pour light coffee mousse into mold. Use spatula to coat edges.
- Unmold frozen core (sponge + layers) and place it upside-down inside, crunch layer on top.
- Press gently until flush. Freeze overnight.
- The next day, warm glaze to 50°C, then cool to 34–35°C.
- Place frozen cake on an inverted bowl. Glaze evenly.
- Let excess drip, smooth base, and decorate as desired.
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.