Number Cake Styled as a "Christmas Wreath"
A delightful Christmas wreath with red fruits, begonia-infused ganache, and edible flowers.
Ingredients - for 8 people
Equipment:
- 20 cm pastry ring
- Large cookie cutter or 16 cm pastry ring
- Stand mixer or electric whisk
- Piping bag + plain tip size 12
- Spatula
Sweet almond pastry dough:
- 140 g softened butter
- 75 g icing sugar
- 250 g T55 flour
- 25 g almond flour
- 1 egg
- 3 g vanilla powder
- 3 g salt
Whipped ganache:
- 150 g white chocolate
- 180 g heavy cream (30% fat)
- 250 g heavy cream (30% fat)
- 10 g begonia flowers
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 g gelatin (1 sheet)
- Cold water
Topping and decoration:
- 300 g fresh red fruits
- Sprigs of rosemary
- Begonia, pansy, and impatiens flowers
- Pistachio or hazelnut praline (optional)
Preparation
Sweet almond pastry dough:
- Mix the softened butter with the icing sugar.
- Add the egg, salt, and vanilla, and mix.
- Incorporate the flour and almond flour without overworking the dough.
- Place the mixture on a work surface and knead lightly with the palm of your hand.
- Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough and cut two 20 cm rings.
- Cut out star-shaped cookies using a cookie cutter.
- Place on a silicone mat or baking parchment.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 160°C until golden.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Whipped ganache (prepare at least 6 hours in advance):
- Soak the gelatin in cold water to rehydrate.
- Split the vanilla pod.
- In a saucepan, heat 180 g of cream with the vanilla seeds, pod, and begonia flowers until it reaches a gentle boil.
- Remove from heat, add the drained gelatin, and mix well.
- Pour the hot cream in three batches over the chopped white chocolate, mixing each time.
- Add the second portion of cold cream and blend.
- Cover with cling film directly touching the surface and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Assembly:
- Whip the ganache at low speed, gradually increasing the speed until thickened and airy. Be careful not to overwhip to avoid splitting.
- Fill a piping bag and pipe the ganache onto the first pastry ring.
- Add red fruits and pipe small dots of praline (optional).
- Place the second pastry ring on top and pipe the remaining ganache.
- Decorate the wreath with star cookies, red fruits, rosemary, macarons, and edible flowers.
- Refrigerate the wreath until ready to serve.