I want to bake a christmas cake?!
has anybody got a good recipe for a wonderful christmas cake and is it the right time now to make one for christmas and when u put the booze in which one do you think would be the best thanksWww@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
If you mean fruit cake then here is a great recipe!. It is a long one though and I have made this recipe!. It is really good!. also I is best to make it in November but you really can make it anytime!.
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10 oz currants
6 oz sultanas
3 oz raisins
3 oz dark natural glace cherries
3oz mixed chopped peel - Cut your own or use ready cut
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 tablespoons of whisky, brandy, rum or sherry
4 eggs - room temperature
6 oz butter - room temperature
6 oz soft brown sugar (or caster sugar if you have none)
3 ? oz of self raising flour (use all plain if you have no SR flour, this cake is not intended to rise, but be level!.)
3 ? oz of plain flour
2 oz ground almonds
1? teaspoons of mixed spice (this should contain cloves, cinnamon etc)
1 tablespoon golden syrup or corn syrup
Optional 2oz walnuts or blanched almonds chopped!.
Optional 2 oz chopped dried apricots
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This fruit cake recipe must be baked in a deep Round 8 inch tin or Square 7 inch tin!.
1!. Before you mix up the cake, SOAK the dried fruit and the halved cherries in the alcohol for about 4-8 hours before using it and also remove your 6oz butter and 4 eggs from the fridge to bring them to room temperature about 2 hours before cake making begins!. Sometimes I just put all the fruit in a screw top jar and shake it every day for about a week or two!. The soaking helps plump and hydrate the fruit!.
2!. Heat oven to 140 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 1 or 275 degrees Fahrenheit
3!. Butter your tin type and double line it and butter it again with 2 circles of greaseproof paper and an inner band of paper!.
4!. Outside the tin add a double band of brown paper that rises 2 inches or so above the tin!. Tie with string!.
5!. Place the tin ready on a flat pizza or other baking sheet – this helps in removing it from the oven!.
NEXT - Chop ready the nuts you decide to use or omit if preferred!.
Sort out 4 eggs which you can lightly whisk in a jug in preparation!.
In a large bowl sift the flour with the mixed spice!. Add the ground almonds and the chopped nuts to that bowl!.
Mixing the Cake
In another very large mixing bowl cream the room temperature butter with the sugar – I use an electric whisk!. Next start to use the 4 mixed eggs and add them teaspoon by teaspoon to the sugar and butter, beating well to mix them in between additions!. If you add too much egg too soon and it curdles, then shows separation if that happens just add a tablespoon of flour and mix in!.
Now add the golden syrup!. Dip a tablespoon into piping hot boiling water and remove the spoon of syrup from the tin and drop it onto the cake mix and stir it in!.
Next fold in the spiced flour and ground almonds and nuts!.
Now add all the soaked dried fruit!.
Stir it all together until mixed well
Spoon the Christmas cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top absolutely flat with a spatula or even your CLEAN dampened hand!. This cake should not rise in the middle, but be flat!.
Then drop the tin from about 10inches in the air onto the floor to make sure it has no air bubbles!. Replace it onto the pizza support tray!.
I bake this rich fruit cake for 3 hours in my oven using the ordinary section, not the fan section of my electric cooker oven!. Fan ovens can over dry cakes of this type which require long slow cooking to help the flavour and colour develop!.
This same recipe is baked for 4 hours in my mother’s oven which is gas fired!. So oven timings will vary!. But don’t look at this cake before 3 hours has passed!. I have no idea how long it would take in an Aga so if someone tries it in one please let me know!.
Test with a skewer and bake the Xmas cake another 10 minutes before testing again!. A cooked cake is evenly raised and should be moving slightly from the tin sides!. The singing hum stops!.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin!. The next day remove the paper wrap and make some skewer holes on the underside!. Pour over 2 tablespoons of alcohol!. I use sherry or any good spirit available!. Do this about every 5 days for several weeks!. Each time wrap the cake in double greaseproof paper and then tinfoil and store in a tin or plastic container!.
You can either eat the fruit cake immediately as it is or keep feeding the cake for a month once or twice a week until you are ready to decorate!. You can add almond paste and finally icing or fondant!. Or instead use a simple glazed topping of crystallised fruits or nuts and encase in large ribbon band!. Warn drivers of the alcohol content of the Christmas cake, but otherwise ENJOY it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.
10 oz currants
6 oz sultanas
3 oz raisins
3 oz dark natural glace cherries
3oz mixed chopped peel - Cut your own or use ready cut
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 tablespoons of whisky, brandy, rum or sherry
4 eggs - room temperature
6 oz butter - room temperature
6 oz soft brown sugar (or caster sugar if you have none)
3 ? oz of self raising flour (use all plain if you have no SR flour, this cake is not intended to rise, but be level!.)
3 ? oz of plain flour
2 oz ground almonds
1? teaspoons of mixed spice (this should contain cloves, cinnamon etc)
1 tablespoon golden syrup or corn syrup
Optional 2oz walnuts or blanched almonds chopped!.
Optional 2 oz chopped dried apricots
!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.
This fruit cake recipe must be baked in a deep Round 8 inch tin or Square 7 inch tin!.
1!. Before you mix up the cake, SOAK the dried fruit and the halved cherries in the alcohol for about 4-8 hours before using it and also remove your 6oz butter and 4 eggs from the fridge to bring them to room temperature about 2 hours before cake making begins!. Sometimes I just put all the fruit in a screw top jar and shake it every day for about a week or two!. The soaking helps plump and hydrate the fruit!.
2!. Heat oven to 140 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 1 or 275 degrees Fahrenheit
3!. Butter your tin type and double line it and butter it again with 2 circles of greaseproof paper and an inner band of paper!.
4!. Outside the tin add a double band of brown paper that rises 2 inches or so above the tin!. Tie with string!.
5!. Place the tin ready on a flat pizza or other baking sheet – this helps in removing it from the oven!.
NEXT - Chop ready the nuts you decide to use or omit if preferred!.
Sort out 4 eggs which you can lightly whisk in a jug in preparation!.
In a large bowl sift the flour with the mixed spice!. Add the ground almonds and the chopped nuts to that bowl!.
Mixing the Cake
In another very large mixing bowl cream the room temperature butter with the sugar – I use an electric whisk!. Next start to use the 4 mixed eggs and add them teaspoon by teaspoon to the sugar and butter, beating well to mix them in between additions!. If you add too much egg too soon and it curdles, then shows separation if that happens just add a tablespoon of flour and mix in!.
Now add the golden syrup!. Dip a tablespoon into piping hot boiling water and remove the spoon of syrup from the tin and drop it onto the cake mix and stir it in!.
Next fold in the spiced flour and ground almonds and nuts!.
Now add all the soaked dried fruit!.
Stir it all together until mixed well
Spoon the Christmas cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top absolutely flat with a spatula or even your CLEAN dampened hand!. This cake should not rise in the middle, but be flat!.
Then drop the tin from about 10inches in the air onto the floor to make sure it has no air bubbles!. Replace it onto the pizza support tray!.
I bake this rich fruit cake for 3 hours in my oven using the ordinary section, not the fan section of my electric cooker oven!. Fan ovens can over dry cakes of this type which require long slow cooking to help the flavour and colour develop!.
This same recipe is baked for 4 hours in my mother’s oven which is gas fired!. So oven timings will vary!. But don’t look at this cake before 3 hours has passed!. I have no idea how long it would take in an Aga so if someone tries it in one please let me know!.
Test with a skewer and bake the Xmas cake another 10 minutes before testing again!. A cooked cake is evenly raised and should be moving slightly from the tin sides!. The singing hum stops!.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin!. The next day remove the paper wrap and make some skewer holes on the underside!. Pour over 2 tablespoons of alcohol!. I use sherry or any good spirit available!. Do this about every 5 days for several weeks!. Each time wrap the cake in double greaseproof paper and then tinfoil and store in a tin or plastic container!.
You can either eat the fruit cake immediately as it is or keep feeding the cake for a month once or twice a week until you are ready to decorate!. You can add almond paste and finally icing or fondant!. Or instead use a simple glazed topping of crystallised fruits or nuts and encase in large ribbon band!. Warn drivers of the alcohol content of the Christmas cake, but otherwise ENJOY it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Creole Christmas Fruit Cake w/ Whisky Sauce
For the Simple Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest, cut in strips
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Cake:
1/2 pound mixed dried fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, and chopped apricots
1/2 pound, (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ounces almond paste
4 large eggs
1/2 cup Grand Marnier, or other orange-flavored liqueur
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup bourbon
Make a simple-syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat!. Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar!. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat!.
Combine the dried fruits in a large mixing bowl!. Pour the simple-syrup over them, toss to coat and let steep for 5 minutes!. Strain and reserve the syrup!.
Cream the butter, sugar and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula!. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes!. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing in between each addition on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary!. Add 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate!.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well!. Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes!. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary!. The batter will be thick!.
Add the warm fruit and all of the nuts a little at a time, mixing well!. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle!.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F!.
Lightly grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick baking spray!. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until golden brown and the top springs back when touched, about 45 to 50 minutes (turning the pan to ensure even browning after 30 minutes!.)
Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove and continue to cool upside-down on wire racks!.
Make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the rounded end of the cake!. Combine the remaining simple syrup with the remaining 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier and the bourbon!. Wrap the cake in a layer of cheesecloth and pour 1/4 cup of the syrup over the top of each cake!. Store in a plastic zip bag for 3 or 4 days until the cake is slightly stale!. Sprinkle syrup over cakes once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used!. Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating!.
For the Whiskey Sauce:
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine 2 3/4 cups of the cream with the bourbon and sugar in a medium-size nonstick saucepan over medium-heat!. Stir to dissolve the sugar!.
In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup cream!. Add this to the cream-and-bourbon mixture and simmer stirring often, until the mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes!. Remove from the heat and serve warm with the fruitcake!.
The sauce may be stored, after it has cooled, in an airtight container for 24 hours!. When ready to serve, warm over low heat!.
--Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Www@FoodAQ@Com
For the Simple Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest, cut in strips
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Cake:
1/2 pound mixed dried fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, and chopped apricots
1/2 pound, (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ounces almond paste
4 large eggs
1/2 cup Grand Marnier, or other orange-flavored liqueur
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup bourbon
Make a simple-syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat!. Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar!. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat!.
Combine the dried fruits in a large mixing bowl!. Pour the simple-syrup over them, toss to coat and let steep for 5 minutes!. Strain and reserve the syrup!.
Cream the butter, sugar and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula!. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes!. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing in between each addition on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary!. Add 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate!.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well!. Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes!. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary!. The batter will be thick!.
Add the warm fruit and all of the nuts a little at a time, mixing well!. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle!.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F!.
Lightly grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick baking spray!. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until golden brown and the top springs back when touched, about 45 to 50 minutes (turning the pan to ensure even browning after 30 minutes!.)
Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove and continue to cool upside-down on wire racks!.
Make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the rounded end of the cake!. Combine the remaining simple syrup with the remaining 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier and the bourbon!. Wrap the cake in a layer of cheesecloth and pour 1/4 cup of the syrup over the top of each cake!. Store in a plastic zip bag for 3 or 4 days until the cake is slightly stale!. Sprinkle syrup over cakes once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used!. Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating!.
For the Whiskey Sauce:
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine 2 3/4 cups of the cream with the bourbon and sugar in a medium-size nonstick saucepan over medium-heat!. Stir to dissolve the sugar!.
In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup cream!. Add this to the cream-and-bourbon mixture and simmer stirring often, until the mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes!. Remove from the heat and serve warm with the fruitcake!.
The sauce may be stored, after it has cooled, in an airtight container for 24 hours!. When ready to serve, warm over low heat!.
--Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Www@FoodAQ@Com
this is a good time to make your christmas cake that keep for 6months plus
I use
recipe
plain flour 200gr
pinch of salt
nutmeg !/2 teaspoon
sultanas 500gr
rasins 300gr
glaze cherries 250gr
grated almonds 100gr
candied peel shredded 50gr
butter 250gr
grated ring of lemon or orange
butter 200gr
dark brown sugar 200gr
eggs 4
brandy or rum 2 table spoons
gravy browning for color optioal
mix all the ingrediants together and leave in the fridge for 2 days
mix together the sugar and butter then add flour followed by
all the other ingrediants
then line an 8 inch round tin with greasproof paper
and bake for 2 hours in a oven at mark 4 350F
or untill you place a nife in the centre and it comes out dry
place in a tin or plastic contained in a cool place for 3 weeks
then ice
you can if you like add malasis 1 table spoon to give it that extra
strong dark flaver
Www@FoodAQ@Com
I use
recipe
plain flour 200gr
pinch of salt
nutmeg !/2 teaspoon
sultanas 500gr
rasins 300gr
glaze cherries 250gr
grated almonds 100gr
candied peel shredded 50gr
butter 250gr
grated ring of lemon or orange
butter 200gr
dark brown sugar 200gr
eggs 4
brandy or rum 2 table spoons
gravy browning for color optioal
mix all the ingrediants together and leave in the fridge for 2 days
mix together the sugar and butter then add flour followed by
all the other ingrediants
then line an 8 inch round tin with greasproof paper
and bake for 2 hours in a oven at mark 4 350F
or untill you place a nife in the centre and it comes out dry
place in a tin or plastic contained in a cool place for 3 weeks
then ice
you can if you like add malasis 1 table spoon to give it that extra
strong dark flaver
Www@FoodAQ@Com
get a rich dundee cake recipe and make it at the end of oct
put it away in tinfoil and a air tight box
in the mid of nov start put small amounts of brandy in the base do that for about 3 weeks
2 weeks before xmas do your marzipan and icing ,cover and put back in box
xmas day open and eatWww@FoodAQ@Com
put it away in tinfoil and a air tight box
in the mid of nov start put small amounts of brandy in the base do that for about 3 weeks
2 weeks before xmas do your marzipan and icing ,cover and put back in box
xmas day open and eatWww@FoodAQ@Com
I make my fruitcake with Brandy!. At least 4 weeks before I plan to eat it!. Once you add the brandy, keep turnign the cakes (or loaves or muffins) over so the brandy doesn't just settle at the bottom and make it mushy!. I keep adding until the cake can't hold anymore!. But let it sit
(keep turning it) for at least 2 weeks before you serve it to let teh brandy flavor "mellow"!. Yummy - I love fruitcake! Www@FoodAQ@Com
(keep turning it) for at least 2 weeks before you serve it to let teh brandy flavor "mellow"!. Yummy - I love fruitcake! Www@FoodAQ@Com
You want a FRUITCAKE then; not necessarily a Christmas cake!. I think of Buche Noel when I think of a "Christmas cake!." !.!.!. I'd wait until October so it only sits for about 6-8 weeks!. You can use brandy or rum; whichever you prefer!.
Www@FoodAQ@Com
Www@FoodAQ@Com
There are 306 yummy sounding recipes on Cooks!.com!. I have always made my Christmas cakes the first week of December so they can soak up the juices (or rum) that I add to them -- then I can add a little more!.
Good luck and I wish I were on your Christmas list!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Good luck and I wish I were on your Christmas list!Www@FoodAQ@Com
whisky trifle!. cake, jelly, fruit, custard, cream and a bottle of whisky on the hipWww@FoodAQ@Com
christmas is not even here yet!Www@FoodAQ@Com