Fluffy little balls of whipped cream, sponge cake, and raspberries make a wonderfully light and delicate dessert or treat for special holiday celebrations. (gluten-free)

Preparation time:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:

for the Biscuitboden (sponge cake base):
4 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (140 g) gluten-free flour blend or regular flour for non-gluten-free
1 teaspoon baking powder

for the Schneeballen (snowballs):
½ of a baked Biscuitboden, recipe above (4 cups cubed)
6 ounces (170 g/1½ cups) frozen raspberries, defrosted, juice reserved (or use fresh)
1¼ teaspoons powdered gelatin
⅓ cup (35 g) sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (480ml) whipping cream (minimum 33% fat)
1½ cups medium, unsweetened, shredded coconut

Instructions:
to make the Biscuitboden:

• Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease a 9 or 9½-inch (23 or 25cm) springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit.
• Put the eggs, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat them on high speed for a full 10 minutes, until they are light and very fluffy and creamy, and a pale yellow colour.
• Add the vanilla near the end of the beating time.
• Sift the flour and baking powder over the eggs and fold them in gently with a spatula. Fold them just until the flour is mixed in, there may still be a few light streaks of flour left.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when you lightly press the top of the cake in the center with your finger.
• Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge to separate the cake from the pan, and invert it onto a cooling rack. Remove the bottom, peel off the parchment paper, and let the cake cool completely.
• Cut the cake in half. Use half to make the Snowballs, and reserve the other half for another use. (Wrap it well in plastic food wrap, put it into a resealable freezer bag, and freeze it for up to 6 months, if you don’t plan to use it right away.)

• to make the Schneeballen (snowballs):
• Drain out 2 tablespoons of juice from the defrosted raspberries. It’s okay if a bit of raspberry pulp comes along. If you can’t easily get 2 tablespoons, make up the difference with a bit of water. Put the juice into a small bowl or measuring cup and sprinkle it with the gelatin. Stir to combine and let it sit for 10 minutes to gel. (If you are using fresh raspberries, mash them and push them through a sieve to get 2 tablespoons of juice, then reserve the mashed pulp and any remaining juice to add to the cream later.
• While the gelatin is softening, cut the cake into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes. Set aside.
• When the raspberry juice and gelatin have thickened, heat them in the microwave just long enough to dissolve the gelatin (10-15 seconds), or set the bowl over a small pot of simmering water just until the gelatin dissolves. Let cool slightly.
• Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
• Pour the raspberry juice with gelatin into the cream while you are whipping it and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the remaining defrosted raspberries and any accumulated juices (or the fresh mashed raspberries and their juices) into the whipped cream.
• Fold the sponge cake cubes into the raspberry whipped cream. (Put everything into a larger bowl if the mixer bowl is too small to mix it easily.)
• Put the shredded coconut into a shallow bowl. Set out 16 paper cupcake liners.
• Use an ice cream scoop (or a large spoon) to scoop out about ⅓-cup (60 ml) portion of the mixture (a slightly heaped scoopful). Drop it into the bowl of coconut and roll it around gently to coat it in coconut, shaping it with your fingers as you roll it. It is very soft and needs a gentle touch. (It’s okay if it’s not a perfect ball.) Place the ball into a muffin cup, and repeat until the mixture is all used up.
• Chill the balls for at least an hour before serving, to let the balls firm up. The balls are best if chilled for 2-3 hours before serving, and can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept in a single layer in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
• The balls will keep, if covered and chilled, for up to 5 days.
• Notes
• Serving the Snowballs in paper cupcake liners makes them easier to pick up and eat and keeps the coconut from dropping off. They can also be laid on a large platter, in a single layer without touching each other, to serve.

Variation: Plain Vanilla Snowballs – Omit the raspberries. Use 2 tablespoons of water to soften the gelatin. Increase the vanilla in the whipped cream to 1 teaspoon.