• NOTE: This cake must be made the day before serving or allow 6-8 hours for it to chill in the fridge.
• Prepare either a stand mixer with the whisk attached or a large mixing bowl with an electric hand beater.
• In the mixing bowl, pour in cream, sugar and vanilla.
• Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
• If you’re adding brandy, pour in one tablespoon at a time, while beating the cream, until your desired potency, I use three tablespoons. Do not over-beat cream at this point, just until the brandy is mixed through.
• On a large round serving plate/platter, create a large circle by dolloping some of the whipped cream around the edges of the plate, leaving a small gap between the cream and the edges of the plate.
• Pick up one biscuit in your hand, spread about half a tablespoon onto the flat side and place another biscuit on top and do the same with a second biscuit.
• Stand both biscuits together upright onto the cream on the plate.
• Spread cream onto a third biscuit and sandwich it to the biscuits on the plate so the cream is in the middle of the biscuits. Repeat method with remaining biscuits, arranging biscuits along the circle of cream, creating a wreath shape, leaving enough cream to cover the cake.
• Dollop remaining cream over the cake and spread using a small rubber spatula or spoon to cover the entire outside of the wreath. TIP: if you have leftover whipped cream, save it for the next day to stick on the gingerbread cookies, if using.
• Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours or overnight for the biscuits to soften and absorb the moisture from the cream.

Decoration

• If using gingerbread cookies, before serving make some extra whipped cream, or use leftovers from the cake. Spread the back of each gingerbread cookie with some cream and place them onto the top of the ripple wreath so they stick.
• Then gently stack any extra cookies on top.
• Alternatively, decorate your ripple wreath using fresh berries, kiwi fruit, chocolate shavings, grated/crumbled Peppermint Crisp Bars, crushed nuts, chopped chocolate covered nuts, lollies or Christmas colored chocolate candy such as smarties/M&M's.
• Serve and enjoy!