Pull Apart Deviled Egg Wreath Recipes

Steps:

• For the dough: Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and then a pinch of granulated sugar. Set aside undisturbed until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the salt, nutmeg, 2 3/4 cups of the flour and the remaining granulated sugar in a large bowl.
• Beat together the melted butter, vanilla and egg yolk in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium high until combined. Add the yeast mixture and continue to mix on low until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until a thick and slightly sticky dough forms. Once the dough comes together, switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed, adding up to 1/4 cup more flour if needed, to make a soft, smooth ball that sticks to the hook, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl generously with cooking spray. Add the dough, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (The dough can also be tightly wrapped and refrigerated overnight. Let it come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.)
• For the filling: Combine the butter, granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Set aside.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the butter mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top edge. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log. Pinch to seal at the seam and then put on the counter seam-side down. Form the log into a circle, pinching the ends together. Squeeze and roll the dough if needed so it is an even width throughout.
• Transfer the log to a parchment lined-baking sheet. Cut 16 slits across the log, about 1 inch apart; each slit should go about three-quarters of the way through the log so that it is still completely intact. Bend about a quarter of the log by turning some of the newly cut "tabs" out so that the pinwheels of filling are facing up. Continue turning the "tabs" out and bending the log until you have a ring. Butt the ends up against each other. Loosely cover the wreath with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the wreath is golden brown and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on a rack until just warm, about 10 minutes.
• For the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk and lemon juice in a medium bowl to make a thick but pourable glaze, adding a little more confectioners' sugar if needed to get the right consistency. Drizzle over the wreath and let harden before serving. To serve, decorate with candied cherries and mint leaves to resemble holly sprigs.

Steps:

• Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water with a slotted spoon and cook for 12 minutes. Drain the eggs with the slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water to cool completely, about 5 minutes.
• Peel the eggs and halve each lengthwise. Remove the yolks from 36 of the egg white halves and transfer the yolks to a food processor. Add the pimentos, Cheddar, half of the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise, a pinch of salt and a couple dashes of hot sauce. Process until the mixture is smooth and light. Season to taste with additional salt and hot sauce if desired. Transfer the pimento cheese filling to a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate while you make the second filling.
• Remove the yolks from the remaining 12 egg white halves and transfer to the cleaned food processor. Add the parsley, lemon zest, scallions, a pinch of salt, the remaining cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Process until the mixture is smooth and light. Season with additional salt if desired. Transfer the herb filling to a second large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate while you arrange the egg whites.
• Lay a large wooden cutting board (at least 22 inches by 16 inches) in front of you with one of the shorter sides facing toward you. Place 1 egg white (pointed-side up) on the bottom of the board. Arrange 2 egg whites (pointed-side down) directly above the first with the points nestling the point of the first egg, so that there is very little space between the eggs. Continue arranging the eggs in this manner to form 8 rows, working upward and alternating eggs pointed up and pointed down to form the carrot, adding 1 egg to each row (36 egg white halves total).
• Arrange the remaining 12 egg white halves in 3 separate lines at the top of the carrot (4 egg white halves per line). The lines should be slightly angled, so they resemble carrot tops.
• Cut a 1/2-inch-wide opening in one corner of the bag with the pimento cheese filling. Fill the 36 egg white halves that make up the carrot with a dollop of the filling, then squeeze any remaining filling on top of the egg whites. Use a small offset spatula to gently spread the filling so that the eggs are mostly covered.
• Cut a 1/2-inch-wide opening in one corner of the bag with the herb filling. Fill the 12 egg white halves that make up the carrot tops with a dollop of the filling, then squeeze any remaining filling on top of the egg whites. Use a small offset spatula to gently spread the filling so that the eggs are mostly covered.
• Use the tip of the offset spatula to make 4 curved lines in the pimento cheese filling (to mimic the creases found on real carrots). Sprinkle the inside of the lines with paprika. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the wine, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, vanilla bean seeds and orange zest in a medium pan over medium-high heat and bring the poaching liquid to a boil. Nestle the pear halves curved-side down in the poaching liquid (it is okay if they aren't fully submerged). Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, flip the pears over so the opposite side is now submerged and allow the pears to cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll out a sheet of the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch square; this will be the bottom of your wreath.
• Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 12-by-13-inch rectangle. Trim off a 1-by-12-inch strip, then cut twelve 1-inch leaf shapes out of the dough with a paring knife. Gently press the paring knife blade into each leaf to make the impression of veins on the leaves, and set the leaves aside for later.
• Working vertically, cut a column of 1 1/2-inch vertical slits in the remaining 12-inch square of dough, leaving 1/4-inch of space in between each slit. Space a second vertical column of slits 1/2-inch from the first with the first slit of the second column starting halfway down the first slit in the first column and finishing halfway down the second slit in the first column. Continue this pattern until the entire square of dough is marked. Stack the top and bottom tart doughs and the leaves on a baking sheet with parchment between each and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge until the dough is firmer and easier to work with, about 20 minutes.
• Place the bottom piece of puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper and assemble the tart by placing a 3-inch bowl in the center. Stuff each pear center with a chocolate truffle and arrange the 6 pear halves cut-side down with the stem ends pointing out around the bowl, leaving a 3/4-inch space between the bottom of the bowl and the bottoms of the pears.
• Brush the dough surrounding the pears with the egg white. Place the dough with the slits over the top of the pears and gently stretch it to create diamond-shaped openings. Press the dough down all around each pear to seal it. Use a paring knife to cut around the perimeter of the bowl, and remove the bowl and the central piece of dough. Press to seal that edge as well. Use your paring knife to trim the extra dough from the edges, following the outline of the pears, leaving a 1/2-inch border of the dough.
• Brush the tops of the puff with the egg white. Attach 2 leaves to the stem end of each pear, and brush those with egg wash too. Sprinkle the tart with sanding sugar. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the tart to an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet.
• Bake the tart until the pastry is risen and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• For the spiced sugar cookie: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Paddle the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until soft and the consistency of mayonnaise, about 3 minutes. Use a kitchen torch to gently warm the bowl if necessary.
• Add the granulated sugar and salt and continue to paddle at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and paddle at medium speed until well incorporated, about 3 minutes (see Cook's Note).
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to the lowest setting, add the flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and allspice and mix until well combined.
• Scoop the cookie dough into a rough ball on a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Keep the dough between the 2 sheets of parchment, place on a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes in the freezer.
• Peel off the top piece of parchment and then place it back on top. Flip the dough over and peel the bottom parchment off. Cut the dough to the desired shape: For this wreath, cut an 8-inch circle and then a 5-inch circle in the interior to make a ring. Reserve, re-roll and bake off scraps for another use.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the cookie ring until set, 7 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• For the langues de chats: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Paddle the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until soft and the consistency of mayonnaise, about 3 minutes. Use a kitchen torch to gently warm the bowl if necessary.
• Add the granulated sugar and salt and continue to paddle at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the egg whites and vanilla bean paste and paddle at medium speed until incorporated completely.
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to the lowest setting, add the cake flour and orange zest and mix until well combined. Your batter should resemble a thick cake batter.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a number 3 or 4 tip (large round) with the cookie batter. Pipe cookies onto 3 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. The cookies should be 1 inch long and spaced about 1 inch apart; you should be able to fit 3 rows of 9 to 10 cookies on each baking sheet (see Cook's Note).
• Bake 2 baking sheets at a time, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies have just started to brown on the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool. Cookies will crisp as they cool. Repeat with the remaining baking sheet of cookies. (Makes 60 to 70 cookies)
• For the coconut lime Russian tea cakes: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Paddle the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until soft and the consistency of mayonnaise, about 3 minutes. Use a kitchen torch to gently warm the bowl if necessary.
• Add the granulated sugar and salt and continue to paddle at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and lime juice and paddle at medium speed until well incorporated.
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to the lowest setting and add the lime zest, flour and coconut and mix until well combined, scraping as often as necessary
• Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, scoop the dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. You should be able to pick up a cookie off the baking sheet. The cookies will be very lightly browned on the edges, and should feel soft, yet solid. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, and then dredge the warm cookies one by one in confectioners' sugar, ensuring complete coverage. Place back on the baking sheet to cool. (Makes 24 to 30 cookies)
• For the hippen tuile: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Paddle the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and paddle at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Slowly add the egg whites and continue to paddle at medium speed until completely combined.
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to the lowest setting, add the flour and lemon zest and mix until combined. Your batter should resemble cake batter.
• Scoop the tuile batter into a pastry bag fitted with number 0 tip. Chill the batter until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Pipe the chilled batter into desired shapes (holly leaves for the wreath) on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or silicone baking mat. The batter will be stiff; loosen it slightly by kneading the pasty bag with your hands. Chill the piped tuile cookies until the batter is firm, about 10 minutes. This is a very important step so that the cookies maintain their shapes.
• Bake the tuiles until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely before taking the cookies off the baking sheet. The tuiles will crisp as they cool.
• For the royal icing: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, slowly add the water 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on low speed until the frosting is glossy and smooth.
• Fill a pastry bag with about 1/2 cup of the royal icing and cut off the tip to pipe fine lines. Reserve the remaining royal icing in the bowl.
• To assemble: Lay the spiced sugar cookie wreath on a flat surface. Dip one end of a langues des chats in the royal icing and lay it lengthwise on the wreath; repeat twice more so there are 3 across. Continue attaching the cookies, overlapping the ends to shingle all the way around the wreath; the royal icing should only touch the part of the cookies attached to the wreath base and should not be visible.
• Pipe along the edges and down the center of the hippen tuile holly leaves to accent them. Allow to dry.
• Attach the leaves and the Russian tea cookies to the wreath with the royal icing to make decorative holly and berry arrangements. Once complete, dust all over with confectioners' sugar to look like snow.