Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe

If you’re looking for a show-stopping holiday dessert that’s as delightful to eat as it is to look at, you’re going to want to try my Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe. These little works of art combine light vanilla mousse with juicy strawberries and a crisp sablé cookie base, all covered in a shiny red mirror glaze that screams festive cheer. Trust me, the first time I made these, my family went crazy, and I just knew I had to share the secrets with you!

this …

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every ingredient in my Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe plays a special role to create those perfect layers of flavor and texture. Using fresh strawberries and quality vanilla really brings the mousse to life, and don’t skip on the sablé — it gives a buttery crunch that contrasts so well with the soft filling.

• Heavy Cream: Cold cream whips beautifully into fluffy peaks, making your mousse so light and airy.
• Whole Milk: Provides richness and blends smoothly into the custard base.
• Vanilla Bean or Extract: Real vanilla bean adds a subtle depth, but pure extract works great if you’re short on time.
• Egg Yolks: Essential for that creamy custard foundation inside the mousse.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the mousse just right without overpowering the strawberry’s tang.
• Gelatin Powder: Gives structure to the mousse and the glaze, so everything holds its shape perfectly.
• Fresh Strawberries: Small and juicy berries work best to nestle inside the domes.
• Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter makes your sablé cookie base smooth and tender.
• Powdered Sugar: For that delicate sweetness and crumbly sablé texture.
• Egg Yolk (for cookie): Helps bind the sablé dough without drying it out.
• All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of your cookie, for perfect crunch and hold.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance flavors.
• Glucose Syrup and Sweetened Condensed Milk: Key ingredients for that smooth, mirror-like finish on your glaze.
• White Chocolate: Adds decadence; used in both the glaze and decorations.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: Because no Santa hat is complete without that iconic red!

Variations

I love that the Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe is a great canvas for your creativity. Feel free to swap the strawberries for another berry or change the vanilla mousse to chocolate for a festive twist. I’m all about tweaking recipes to suit your style and pantry!

• Berry Swap: I once tried raspberries instead of strawberries and the tartness added a lovely surprise inside the mousse.
• Chocolate Mousse Variation: Adding melted white chocolate to the mousse base creates a richer, creamier dome that’s perfect for chocoholics.
• Vegan Adaptation: Using plant-based cream and agar agar instead of gelatin – though it takes a bit of finesse, I managed to get a great texture with this swap.
• Nutty Sablé Base: Mix finely ground almonds into the cookie dough for a deeper flavor and a touch of crunch.

How to Make Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe

Step 1: Bloom the Gelatin and Warm the Milk

Start by blooming your gelatin for the mousse—combine powdered gelatin with cold water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat your milk with the vanilla bean or extract until warm but not boiling. This step infused my mousse with that lovely vanilla aroma every time.

Step 2: Prepare and Cook the Custard Base

Whisk egg yolks together with granulated sugar until pale and thickened. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking non-stop to avoid scrambled eggs—a classic tip I learned the hard way! Then, return this mixture to the saucepan and gently cook until it reaches about 82°C (180°F) and starts to thicken. Stir constantly to keep it silky smooth.

Step 3: Add the Gelatin and Fold in Whipped Cream

Remove the custard from heat, stir in your bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved, and let it cool to room temperature. Next, whip your cold heavy cream to soft peaks, then gently fold this into your cooled custard base—this is the magic that gives your mousse that cloud-like texture. Folding carefully ensures you don’t deflate those beautiful air bubbles.

Step 4: Mold the Mousse with Strawberries and Freeze

Spoon a bit of mousse into each silicone dome mold, press a fresh whole strawberry right in the center, and then cover with more mousse. Smooth the tops for a professional finish. Transfer the molds to the freezer to set overnight—you’ll thank yourself later when assembly is a breeze.

Step 5: Make the Sablé Cookie Base

Cream together butter and powdered sugar until smooth, then mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Stir in flour and a pinch of salt until you have a dough. Roll it out between parchment paper sheets to about 4 mm thickness, chill for 30 minutes, then cut rounds slightly larger than your molds. Bake at 170°C (340°F) until just golden. The first time I baked these, I was worried they’d be too hard, but they turned out with the perfect tender crunch.

Step 6: Prepare the Red Mirror Glaze

Bloom the gelatin again for the glaze. Boil sugar, glucose syrup, and water until 103°C (217°F), then remove from heat and stir in condensed milk and gelatin. Pour over chopped white chocolate and let sit before blending smooth with an immersion blender. Add gel red coloring until the glaze is that classic, bright Santa red. Let it cool to about 32–35°C; this temperature ensures your glaze is fluid enough to coat but won’t melt your mousse domes.

Step 7: Assemble and Decorate

Carefully unmold your frozen mousse domes and place each on a sablé cookie base. Pour or spoon the red glaze over the domes for a flawless finish. You can add white chocolate decorations shaped into rings or balls to amp up the festive look — I like to make these ahead and keep them chilled.

How to Serve Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe

Garnishes

For garnishes, I love using a simple dusting of powdered sugar or edible gold flakes to add a little extra holiday sparkle. Sometimes I add tiny mint leaves for a fresh pop of color that complements the red glaze—and it’s a subtle surprise of flavor for guests.

Side Dishes

These domes are a rich treat, so I usually pair them with light, fresh sides like a citrusy fruit salad or even a warm cup of spiced tea to balance things out. They also go beautifully with a glass of champagne or your favorite holiday cocktail.

Creative Ways to Present

Once, I arranged several of these Santa Claus Dome Cakes on a mirrored tray dusted with coconut “snow” and scattered fresh cranberries around. It turned my dessert table into a winter wonderland! Playing with presentation really makes these cakes pop at holiday parties.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Leftovers can be tricky because of the glaze, but if you keep the domes refrigerated in an airtight container, they’ll stay fresh and beautiful for up to 2 days. I usually cover them lightly with plastic wrap to protect the glaze from drying out.

Freezing

One of the best things about this Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe is that the domes freeze wonderfully. Just freeze them on the sablé base, uncovered, then wrap tightly once frozen. This way, you can get your holiday prep done in advance without stress.

Reheating

When ready to serve frozen domes, simply transfer them to the fridge to thaw slowly overnight. Avoid microwaving or sudden heat to preserve the mousse texture and glossy glaze. This slow thaw keeps everything as perfect as when you first made them.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

I absolutely love how this Santa Claus Dome Cakes Recipe comes together when you take the time to follow each step—it really feels like a project that rewards every bit of care with stunning results. It’s become my go-to festive dessert because it delivers that wow factor with flavors and textures everyone loves. Give it a try for your next holiday celebration, and I promise you’ll be so proud serving these delightful domes to friends and family. Baking is all about joy, and with this recipe, the joy comes beautifully iced, fresh, and delicious.

Print