These days most people buy all the christmas treats ready made in the supermarket but my grandmother used to make everything and now with just two months to go to 25th December is when she would be making her Christmas Cake.
I give the recipe for her cake below in an alcohol free version but she would use alcohol in the cooking. To make the alcoholic version soak the dried fruit in brandy or rum (I prefer brandy) at least overnight or for several days before using. The fruit will swell and absorb the brandy. When the cake is baked and cooled make small holes in the bottom and top with a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of brandy or so over until it is absorbed. Repeat this process weekly.
This makes a very moist cake and the alcohol acts as a preservative. The same recipe is traditionally used for wedding cakes which are presented in tiers and it was the custom to keep one tier to use as the Christening cake for the first child which would be at least a year later.
When my daughter was small I made a cake each year. A small amount would be eaten and it would be put into an airtight container and forgotten about. One year I found I had the remains of four cakes all of which were perfectly edible but decided it was silly to make another and I haven't made one since.
The rich fruit cake recipe.
For a 20cm round tin or 18cm square tin. Makes 20-30 portions.
225g plain flour
5ml mixed spice
2.5ml cinnamon
2.5ml grated nut meg
5ml cocoa powder
175g butter
175g soft brown sugar
25ml treacle (or substitute syrup or honey if unavailable)
5ml grated lemon zest
5ml grated orange zest
5 eggs
500g mixed dried fruits (raisins, sultanas, currants)
50g grated apple
100g candied peel
100g ground almonds
50g blanched almonds
50g chopped dates
50g glace cherries
25ml milk
Sift dry ingredients together
Toss fruit in a little flour (this stops them sinking when added to the cake and baking)
In a LARGE bowl cream together butter, sugar, treacle and orange and lemon zest
Beat in eggs one at a time adding a tablespoon of dry ingedients with each
Stir in fruit
Fold in remaining dry ingredients with milk
Transfer to tin and smooth top with a knife
Bake at 150C for 4-41/2 hours until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean
Leave in tin for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
When cooled wrap in tin foil and put in an airtight container until required adding brandy as described if making the alcoholic version
About 2-3 weeks before finished cake is required make the almond paste and add to cake.
Almond Paste
225g ground almonds
225g icing sugar
225g caster sugar
yolks of 2 eggs
5ml lemon juice
2.5ml vanilla essence
2.5ml almond essence
Sift icing sugar into a bowl
Add other ingredients and mix to a stiff paste
Turn out onto a board or table covered with icing sugar and knead with fingertips until it is smooth, crackfree and pliable
To add to the cake divide into 2. Work on the surface covered with icing sugar.
Roll out one half to fit the top of the cake.
Brush the almond paste with a little sieved apricot jam (to sieve it heat the jam a little and it will brush better then too)
Place the cake upside down on the almond paste. Trim the edges and then carefully turn right way up
Roll out second half of almond paste and repeat process. For a square cake divide into 4 and repeat for each side; for a round cake it is easiest to do it by dividing into 2
Cover with tin foil and return to airtight container.
WAIT AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE ADDING ROYAL ICING
Royal Icing
White of 2 eggs
450g icing sugar
2.5ml lemon juice
2-3 drops glycerine
Beat egg whites until foamy
Gradually beat in the other ingredients (the glycerine prevents the icing becoming too hard to cut)
Continue beating until the icing is snowy white and firm enough to stand in points when the spoon is taken out of the bowl
If it is too stiff add more egg white or lemon juice , if too soft add icing sugar
Put in an airtight bowl and leave for a day.
Spoon a little Royal Icing over the cake and spread with a pallette knife bursting any air bubbles.
Draw a warm steel rule at an angle over the icing to make a flat surface
Leave for a day
Repeat the process for the sides of the cake
If you want a smooth cake to decorate add 2 or 3 more thin coats at 24 hour intervals.
My grandmother could never be bothered keep adding layers for a flat finish so she would add one deep layer on the top with peaks. She would put a ribbon round the sides rather than ice them.She had bought ceramic decorations but you could make marzipan decorations or use holly.
Her approach was a lot less work and I am sure by now you understand why most people now buy ready made and decorated cakes.
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