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Rosa and Rosanna's 'Mama Knows Best' Signature Christmas Centerpiece

The inspiration behind this bake is our family at Christmas. Each one of these recipes chosen are a family recipe and making each is an annual tradition at our Christmas table. The cream puff recipe is my nonna’s, then adapted by my mom. Our pastry cream filling has been the same since my great grandmother-used in so many of our traditional recipes my mom is known best for recreating it. My Nonna’s ricotta cookies are a staple in our family. Pillowy soft and will stay fresh for days, even after being let out. We wanted to showcase that these recipes although simple alone, together can create something beautiful and grand, perfect for the finale!
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Rosa and Rosanna's 'Mama Knows Best' Signature Christmas Centerpiece
Print Recipe
Rosa and Rosanna's 'Mama Knows Best' Signature Christmas Centerpiece
Course:
Dessert, Cookies, Cream Puffs
Seasonal Event:
Christmas
INGREDIENTS:

Cream Puffs:

  • 3 sticks butter (339g)
  • 3 cup water (710 ml)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt (4g)
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons sugar (18g)
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour (360g)
  • 12 large eggs

Cream Filling: Italian Pastry Cream & Whipped Cream = French Pastry Cream

  • 750 g sugar
  • 300 g all-purpose flour
  • 1500 ml milk
  • 12 egg yolks
  • zest of 3 lemons
  • pinch of salt
  • 714 grams heavy cream
  • 200 grams powdered sugar
  • 10 ml vanilla

Struffoli:

  • 6 tablespoons butter (84g)
  • 1 medium orange zested
  • 1 medium lemon zested
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour (720g), more for dusting
  • 9 tablespoons granulated sugar (114g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (9g) 3/4 teaspoon baking powder (3g)
  • 9 large eggs
  • 3 teaspoon vanilla extract (15ml)
  • 3 cups vegetable oil (710ml), for frying

Honey for Struffoli:

  • 1020 grams honey
  • 600 grams sugar

Caramel for Cream Puffs:

  • 800 grams sugar
  • 59 ml Karo light corn syrup
  • 159 ml water

Melting Chocolate for Cream Puffs:

  • 525 grams chocolate chips melted

Ricotta Cookie Icing Sugar:

  • 600g powdered sugar
  • Water until thick consistency
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Ricotta Cookies:

  • 300 grams all-purpose flour
  • 10 grams baking powder
  • 2 grams baking soda
  • 4 grams salt
  • 113 grams butter
  • 333 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 425 grams ricotta cheese
  • 5 ml pure vanilla extract

Tower Décor:

  • Colored fondant
  • Candied Cherries in red and green
  • Red & green nonpareil sprinkles
  • Gold ball sprinkles
  • Powdered sugar
  • Food coloring gel

DIRECTIONS:

Cream Puffs:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 deg F
  2. Line baking trays with parchment paper
  3. Prepare cream puffs
  4. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water, sugar and butter to a boil
  5. Remove from heat, add flour and stir-bring back to heat and stir for another minute or two until dough dries a bit
  6. Let the dough cool to warm-then place into a stand mixer and beat in one egg at a time until combined
  7. Place in a prepared piping bag, then pipe cream puffs
  8. Place in oven at 400F for 5 min then 375F for 15 until golden
  9. Remove & let cool on wire racks

Cream Filling:

  1. In a sauce pan, using an immersion blender, blend all ingredients except lemon zest
  2. Place over medium heat, add lemon zest and stir continuously until thickened
  3. Remove from heat and let cool in the fridge

Whipped Cream: combine ingredients using a hand mixer until soft peaks form

  1. Once pastry cream is cool, fold in whipped cream
  2. Place cream in piping bag fitted with tip and pipe into each cream puff
  3. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave and dip the tops into the melted chocolate. Set aside

Struffoli:

  1. Combine wet ingredients and zest in a stand mixer, then add dry ingredients until combined
  2. Pour dough out onto surface and knead until together, then cover in plastic wrap and let it rest
  3. While the dough is resting heat the vegetable oil
  4. Roll dough into strips and cut the size of gnocchi-place in hot oil and fry until golden, then let drain. Repeat process until finished
  5. In another saucepan over medium heat, combine honey and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Pour over struffoli and combine-set aside

Ricotta Cookies:

  1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the wet ingredients until incorporated then stir in the dry until combined
  2. Chill the dough, and turn the oven on to 350 F
  3. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop (provided from home) scoop the chilled dough onto the baking trays. Bake for 10 min & remove to cool
  4. While cooling, make icing sugar by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla and water for the right consistency
  5. Dip each cookie in the icing and decorate with sprinkles. Set aside to set
  6. Using Nonna’s crystal tray (we will provide from home) make a wreath shape using the struffoli and decorate with red and green sprinkles
  7. In a saucepan over medium heat combine water, sugar and corn syrup. Do not stir. Using a candy thermometer, when it reaches 300 F, begin dipping the cream puffs and arranging them on top of the struffoli base until you reach the top
  8. Using a fork, thread the icing sugar over the tower to give it a thread like effect
  9. Using tookpicks, arrange the cookies to appear as a ribbon wrapping around the tree
  10. Fill in gaps with candied cherries, and add details with fondant
  11. YOU COMPLETED THE FINALE!!
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