Cinnamon cream and maple caramel layer cake with salted chocolate shards

Ingredients Serves 4

250g savoiardi biscuits

200g very strong coffee, cooled

1 tbsp cocoa powder, to serve

Edible gold dust, to serve (optional)

Chocolate ganache

200g double cream (you’ll need 600g in total for the whole recipe)

150g dark cooking chocolate (you’ll need 300g in total for the whole recipe)

Good pinch of Maldon sea salt

Miso caramel

140g maple syrup (you’ll need 220g in total for the whole recipe)

70g double cream

25g white miso paste

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Cinnamon coffee cream

500 full-fat mascarpone 

330g double cream

1 egg yolk

80g maple syrup

1 tbsp tangerine zest (from 3 tangerines)

1 tbsp filter coffee grounds

1½ tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp Maldon sea salt

Maldon chocolate shards

150g dark cooking chocolate

1-2 tsp filter coffee grounds

Maldon sea salt, to taste

Method

For the ganache, melt the chocolate and cream over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir in a good pinch of Maldon sea salt. Set aside to cool.

For the caramel, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and place on a medium heat. Cook for about 6 mins, whisking continuously; the mixture should bubble away and thicken to the consistency of butterscotch sauce. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until completely cool. 

For the cinnamon and coffee cream, add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix, just until everything comes together. Don’t overmix or you’ll split the cream.

Line a 20cm square cake tin with two layers of cling film. Spoon half the cream into the tin, then smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Spoon over half each of the cooled melted chocolate and cooled caramel and then swirl together.

Dip the biscuits briefly in the coffee two at a time and arrange in a layer on top of the caramel and chocolate.

Repeat these layers: cream, caramel, chocolate, coffee soaked biscuits once more.

Cover with cling film and chill overnight.

Melt the chocolate for the shards in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. 

Prepare a large sheet of parchment on a flat work surface. Pour the melted chocolate onto the tray and quickly spread the chocolate out with a spatula. Leave to cool for a few mins, then sprinkle generously with coffee grounds and Maldon sea salt. Transfer the paper to a large, flat tray that will fit in your fridge. Refrigerate until completely cool and set, about 2 hours.

Flip the set cake onto a large platter. Dust with cocoa powder and spritz with gold dust. Break the chocolate into random shards, then stud the cake with the shards.