New Year's Cake
Description
The baking is simple and quick. Because both the Snake and the pine cones cook quite quickly and easily, you can gather all the children and adults around your table to make this cake together! You don't need to whip cream or cook a custard — the dessert is assembled like a "Kartoshka" pastry. The main thing is to decorate everything colorfully and serve it with lemonade, tea, coffee, or champagne. Serve chilled or slightly warm.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the listed ingredients. Purchase pastry cream or confectioner's cream and chocolate flakes shaped like shells or boats.
- 2
Step 2
Beat the chicken eggs into the bowl of a food processor or mixer, add the salt and sugar, and beat on the highest speed for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- 3
Step 3
Gradually mix the premium wheat flour into the mixture, but do not beat it.
- 4
Step 4
If the coloring is water-soluble, pour in 2 tbsp. of water and mix the coloring into it. If it is fat-soluble, use 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil.
- 5
Step 5
Pour into the sponge batter and mix until it turns a light green color.
- 6
Step 6
Grease the pan with vegetable oil or butter. Preheat the oven to 180°C and pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack.
- 7
Step 7
Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown. Test the sponge cake for doneness with a wooden skewer; it should come out dry from the center. Remove the pan with the sponge cake and turn it on its side.
- 8
Step 8
Let the sponge cake cool, then trim off all browned sides, the top, and the bottom. Crumble the center into one bowl and the browned parts into another.
- 9
Step 9
Pour half of the heavy cream into the green part of the sponge cake and mix thoroughly.
- 10
Step 10
Then call the children and let them shape a snake from the green mixture. Place it on a plate or board.
- 11
Step 11
Into the other mixture, sift in 2 tbsp. powdered sugar and cocoa powder, pour in the cream. Mix thoroughly until you have a smooth, uniform chocolate mixture.
- 12
Step 12
Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into a cone that is not too tall. Starting from the top, insert a couple of flakes into the mixture opposite each other. Then insert another couple from the other sides.
- 13
Step 13
Next, working your way down, insert the cereal flakes between the empty gaps in the upper rows. You will use more and more flakes; they will fan out from the bottom. You will end up with a colorful, edible chocolate pinecone. The size and shape of the cones do not matter much—the cone will be hidden by the flakes anyway.
- 14
Step 14
Similarly, shape the remaining cones. Using a wide knife or a silicone spatula, transfer them to a plate. You can make large cones and small ones in different sizes.
- 15
Step 15
Sprinkle the prepared cake on top with powdered sugar, as if with snow. Decorate the snake by making its eyes from chocolate drops and its tongue from dried cranberry or cherry. The dessert is now ready to serve at the table with various beverages. Enjoy your meal and have a merry New Year!