Winter cake with speculoos

How it works:

Biscuit

1. beat the egg yolks with the water and 1/3 of the sugar until frothy. At the same time, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until the egg whites are stiff.
2. sieve the flour, baking powder, cocoa and gingerbread spice and mix into the beaten egg mixture together with the almonds.
3. bake at 190°C (top/bottom heat) for approx. 35-40 minutes. It is best to bake the base the evening before, leave to cool and cut in half once in the middle.

Soaking

1. bring the ingredients to the boil in a pan and leave to cool.
2. refine with rum to taste.

Decorative basket border

1. beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy,
2. gradually add the eggs and mix in the flour to make a fine sand mixture.
3. spread the dark mixture onto a thin layer of baking paper and use a pastry card to engrave a pattern of your choice.
4. place the baking paper on a tray in the freezer and allow to freeze (approx. 8 minutes). Then quickly spread on the light-colored mixture and bake immediately at 190°C for approx. 10 minutes at top/bottom heat.
5. remove from the baking paper while still hot, leave to cool and cut into thin strips (approx. 5 cm).

Dark chocolate mousse

1. prepare the sponge base, soak with a little rum and spread a thin layer of apricot jam or a jam of your choice.
2. cut the decorative border into strips, spread with a little jam, place around the sponge base and wrap a death ring around it.
3. melt the couverture in a bain-marie. Soak the gelatine in cold water.
4. beat the egg yolks with some of the sugar and whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until they form a slippery egg white.
5. dissolve the gelatine, mix with a little whipped cream and quickly fold into the egg yolk mixture.
6. stir in the melted couverture and carefully fold in the remaining beaten egg whites with the rest of the cream.
7. spread over the sponge base, carefully place the second sponge base directly on top of the chocolate mousse so that it is not visible on the outside.

White chocolate mousse

1. melt the chocolate coating in a bain-marie.
2. beat the egg yolk with the whole egg and the syrup until frothy, melt the gelatine soaked in cold water, add a little cream, add to the beaten egg mixture and stir quickly.
3. quickly add the melted couverture and mix well, then fold in the rest of the cream.
4. spread the speculoos mousse over the sponge base and add small pieces of speculoos.
5. chill the cake for at least five hours or overnight, then add the prepared chocolate layer on top.
6. carefully remove the cake from the ring and decorate as desired.

Chocolate mirror

1. melt the chocolate coating slightly over a bain-marie.
2. bring the cream to the boil and pour over the semi-liquid couverture, mix everything together well and blend carefully with a hand blender until a glossy ganache has formed, then leave to cool slightly.
3. spread lukewarm as a mirror on top of the cake, leave to cool and set for approx. 30 minutes.