Thursday, November 12, 2015

FRUITCAKE Weather: Light and Dark

 It's here. Fruitcake making weather. Chilly. Crisp. Damp. Frost on the houses. Snow on Mt. Washington Range.Line  small loaf pans with greased parchment paper. You can find loaf pans in the section of the grocery store where they sell foil and cling wrap.
     WHITE FRUITCAKE ( 1997 from Shirley Moore, Fredericton, New Brunswick. This is  a  lovely, light , pretty cake. Updated in 2012 )
 Time to make fruitcakes. Light and Dark. Soak the fruit with wine. Soak it well.
     (Do not double recipe)
 COMBINE FRUIT in BOWL:                           BATTER:                                               
3 cups raisins combined with dried cranberries                                                            
                                                                                  1 pound butter
2 cups glazed /dried fruit ( your choice)                   2 cups white sugar
6 candied / dried pineapple rings, cut up                   10 large eggs
1/3 cups orange peel/fresh or candied               
¾ cup chopped dried apricots
                                                                                  1 tsp. almond extract
½ cup candied ginger                                                  1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped almonds                                          3 cups flour
1 ½ cups pecan halves                                                 pinch of coarse salt
1 cup flour for dusting fruit                                      1 tsp baking powder
1 cup of Napoleon or Grand Marnier Brandy
½ cup orange juice to go with brandy

 Put all ingredients for “Combine Fruit in Bowl” into  large bowl, mix together. Let sit for a day to let the flavours mellow.  Alcohol will burn out in the baking. Do not brush finished cake with booze. It will be way too strong and smell wicked. Especially if you mail it through US customs….
 From BATTER List, cream butter with sugar, add eggs 1 at a time. Add the remaining ingredients.  When the batter is ready, pour in the fruit that has been standing. Mix with hands ( clean hands).
 Divide batter between pans. The small loaf tins work so well as they freeze great and are the perfect size for gift giving.
 Bake at 300 degrees for about 1  ½ hours ( give or take. Sometimes it takes an hour). I kind of guesstimate the time, and check after 40 minutes by testing the centre. 
 
 You do not want to over bake the little loaf pans , so check often.  The batch this year made 13 small loaf pans. Wrap when cool and freeze until ready to mail, or eat.

                                   Don't be afraid to use your hands...
                                 Smooth the tops as best you can.
                                                Then bake.
                                     They should turn out golden and light. Fragrant.
 Then get ready to do Dark fruitcake ( My favourite). This recipe is rich and tangy.
 OLD ENGLISH DARK FRUIT CAKE (2015)
 Fill LARGE pyrex bowl with the following:
Dates, dark raisins, golden raisins, glace cherries, citrus peel, pecans, walnuts, almonds, cranberries, candied ginger.
POUR over a ½ bottle of wine. Let fruit sit for a day or two. 
 BEAT TOGETHER: 1 ½ cups butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 ½ cups molasses, 1 cup strong coffee, Zest and juice of 3 oranges, 2 tsp allspice, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cloves, 2 tsp nutmeg and ( very important) 3 tbsp COCOA, 6 eggs, 4cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda.
 ADD ALL the FRUIT in BOW, PLUS the wine. Add extra flour if batter is too thin
 DIVIDE between 10 mini pans and 1 loaf tin, lined with, or whatever pans you like, as long as they are greased and lined with parchment paper.
 BAKE: 300 degrees  for about an hour….be sure to test as time goes along. Add time as needed till a toothpick or sharp knife, inserted into the cake, comes out clean. I just guesstimate the time and add on as I go.
 LET COOL. WRAP and FREEZE**This is so good. Dark and tangy and rich.
                    Then turn off all the lights, set the candles and  taste test both. Which is your favourite?

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