A Lamington wreath of festive cheer

This lamington wreath is easy to make and will surely impress! This recipe was first published on Taste.com.au.

Vital statistics:

40 minute preparation time. 35 minutes cooking time. Makes one wreath.

You will need:

• Large saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Fine sieve
• Heat proof jug
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Large snap-lock bag
• Large flat serving plate

Ingredients:

1. 500 gram frozen strawberries
2. 2/3 cup caster sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
4. 2 cups thickened cream
5. 26 lamington fingers
6. 500 gram small fresh strawberries

Method:

1. Place frozen strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, crushing strawberries with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes ro until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes or until mixture is syrupy.
2. Remove from heat. Strain syrup mixture through a fine sieve into a jug. Discard solids. Wash and dry pan. Return syrup to pan. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 12 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat cream and remaining sugar until just-firm peaks form. Add 1/3 cup strawberry syrup to cream. Fold through to create a rippled effect.
4. Carefully spoon cream mixture into a large snap-lock bag. Snip 2cm off one corner. Pipe a 23cm ring on a flat serving plate to form the base. This ring will secure the lamingtons to the plate.
5. Pipe a little cream mixture onto one face of one lamington. Place lamington on its side on cream ring to start assembling the wreath. Pipe a little cream onto one face of the next lamington. Place in front of lamington on plate and sandwich together. Repeat process with remaining lamingtons and cream mixture to form the wreath.
6. Reserve 12 fresh strawberries. Hull and finely dice remaining strawberries in half. Cut three of the reserved strawberries in half. Top the wreath with the whole, halved and diced strawberries. Spoon over remaining syrup mixture.
   Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

• Frozen strawberries are used in this recipe, so this can be made all year round. It also saves time as you don't need to hull them. Other frozen berries could be used.
• Along with fresh strawberries, the lamington wreath can be decorated with different types of fresh berries, fresh mint leaves, chocolates, or fresh fruit.
• There are 18 lamington fingers in a packet, available from the supermarket.