FOR THE SPECULOOS BASE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In food processor, finely grind the biscuits, mix with melted butter.
3. Press the mixture onto a springform pan into an even layer.
4. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

FOR THE VIENNESE SPONGE CAKE: (2X)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Set up a water bath.
3. Combine flour & cornstarch and whisk until combined, sift 2 times.
4. Combine the eggs and sugar, whisk until smooth. Set over water bath and whisk constantly, heat up mixture until temperature reaches 113 degrees.
5. Remove from water bath, with a whisk attachment, whisk the mixture until light, airy, and room temperature, 10-15 minutes.
6. Add flour-cornstarch mixture, speculoos crumbs, fold in gently, add melted butter a little at a time, making sure not to overmix the batter.
7. Pour batter in an ungreased 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for a further 25-30 minutes. Let sponges cool.

FOR THE ORANGE MASCARPONE CREAM-CHEESE CREAM:

1. With a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth, add mascarpone and powdered sugar to combine. Change attachment to whisk, slowly add heavy cream and whisk until firm. Don’t overmix. Add orange marmalade to taste, cream cheese should taste of orange.

FOR THE ORANGE MARMALADE:

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a thin layer of the orange rind from the oranges.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the julienned orange rind and continue boiling over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the water from the saucepan, then fill the saucepan with 2 cups of water again (keeping the orange rind in the saucepan).
4. Place the saucepan over the stove over high heat and set the timer for 10 minutes (it’s okay that it hasn’t begun to boil yet when you start the time).
5. One last time, drain the water from the saucepan and then fill with 2 cups water, place over high heat, and set the timer for 10 minutes.
6. Drain the water from the saucepan and, to the rind in the saucepan, add the orange slices, the sugar, the lemon juice, and 2 cups of water.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. After about 6 minutes, the contents of the pot should be boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low so that the mixture is simmering.
8. Cook the marmalade for 40 more minutes, giving it a stir every 3 – 5 minutes. You want to stir it frequently to keep the contents from overflowing in the saucepan.

FOR THE MULLED WINE JELLY:

1. Whisk together wine and agar agar until there are no lumps.
2. Set over medium heat, bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
3. Remove from heat and pour into round silicone molds, let jellies set.

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Cut sponges in half so you get a total of four layers.
2. Begin with the Speculoos base, a layer of sponge cake, a layer of orange cream, mulled wine jelly, another layer of orange cream, and top with another sponge layer, repeating these steps until the last sponge layer.
3. Leave the top layer blank (no cream). Chill for 4 hours, or better, overnight.
4. Ice outside of cake, decorating the cake with a Christmas theme