Wood Grain Gum Paste Fence Recipes

Steps:

• Dip a toothpick into gel paste and swipe through gum paste, starting with 2 swipes of brown and 1 swipe of black. (Use a fresh toothpick to add more color.) Knead until color is even, adding more gel paste as desired.
• Lightly dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar. Roll gum paste into a rectangle, 1/8 inch thick. Cover with a wood-grain impression mat and firmly press with a rolling pin to create pattern.
• Using a pizza cutter or chef's knife, cut gum paste rectangle into vertical strips, each 1/3 inch wide. Separate strips and cut crosswise into slats and posts: 12 posts, each 2 3/4 inches long; 12 short slats (for garden entrances), each 3 1/2 inches long, leaving one end squared and cutting the other on the bias; and 18 longer slats (for sides of cake), each 5 inches long, both ends trimmed on the bias.
• Transfer cut pieces to parchment-lined baking sheets and let stand until firm and dry, about 8 hours or overnight. Dried fence pieces can be stored on baking sheets, covered with parchment, at room temperature up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Make the ganache: Place the gianduja in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine cream and sugar over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve over the gianduja. Add butter, and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a cool place (not the refrigerator) until firm, about 8 hours.
• Dust the work surface, rolling pin, and marzipan lightly with confectioners' sugar to keep it from sticking. Roll marzipan into a 6-by-21-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch-thick. Trim edges, and cut into three 6-by-7-inch rectangles.
• Remove excess sugar from marzipan with a pastry brush. Spread each marzipan rectangle with 4 tablespoons of the ganache. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the chopped pistachios. Roll tightly into a log enclosing pistachios. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.
• Melt remaining ganache in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip the marzipan logs in the ganache, turning to coat. Using a paring knife, trim the ends of each roll, cutting on the bias; reserve ends. Use the tines of a fork to create wood-grain design on each log.
• Place ends, cut-side up, on the logs, forming branches. Decorate with marzipan holly leaves and berries. Will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.