Fruit Cake Recipe Biography
Source(google.com.pk)Each person has their own list of 'must have' foods for Christmas. For me, it is this Fruit Cake; that wonderful combination of nuts and dried fruits with barely enough cake batter to hold it all together. If you have ever made a British Fruit Cake you know that what really sets this cake apart is how we repeatedly feed the cake, over time, with alcohol (usually brandy, sometimes rum). This gives the Fruit Cake a subtle brandy flavor and a moist texture, plus it also allows the cake to be stored for ages and ages. Of course, the step of repeatedly brushing alcohol on the cake means we have to make it well in advance of Christmas. But is that so bad? With all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, doing our baking several weeks in advance can only be a good thing
This Fruit Cake recipe is adapted from Nigel Slater's 'The Kitchen Diaries' and it is by far the best one I have ever made. It is jammed with raisins, currants, dried cranberries, dried figs and prunes, dried apricots, and candied fruit and peel (candied fruit is preserved fruit that has been dipped several times in a concentrated sugar syrup). Nuts are also included as is ground almonds. Do try to make your fruitcake about three to four weeks before Christmas so you can brush it with alcohol several times and allow the flavors to mingle and age. This cake can be frozen so it might be a good idea to make two and then you can freeze one for later in the year.
Finally, if you are an avid fan of Fruit Cakes and want to make them during the rest of the year, it might be a good idea to pick up extra candied fruit during the holiday season as it can be hard to find once the Christmas season ends.
Fruit Cake: Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) spring form pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom of the pan with buttered parchment paper. Also line the sides of the pan with a strip of buttered parchment paper that extends about 2 inches above the pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F 160 degrees
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the brandy, juice and zest of the orange, and zest of the lemon. Then fold in the ground almonds, chopped nuts, and all the dried and candied fruits. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder and fold this into the cake batter.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, if desired, decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds. Place the spring form pan on a larger baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and continue to bake the cake for another 1 hour 30 minutes or until a long skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. With a skewer poke holes in the top surface of the cake and brush with a little brandy. Wrap the cake thoroughly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place in a cake tin or plastic bag. Brush the cake periodically (once or twice a week) with brandy until Christmas. This cake will keep several weeks or it can be frozen.
Want a moist fruit cake recipe? Check out this moist Christmas fruit cake recipe as the method calls for boiling the ingredients first before baking. A new method to try that guarantees a flavorful fruit cake that is sure to please, recipe by Siew Loon Ho.
It’s the time of year again…Christmas
Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. It is a season where you can feel so much love in the air and the melodious Christmas tunes never fail to make me happy. It is also a season of eating and drinking! Besides the Roast Turkey, having a really good fruit cake is also a must on my Christmas menu. This year I have managed to bake the fruit cake earlier then usual as I am preparing to pass them as gifts to my close friends. This is a must-try recipe from Catherine Lau which uses the boiling method. I have used this recipes for wedding cakes and Christmas baking and it has never failed to impress my friends and family. The big grin on their face is the best Christmas gift for me.
Fruit cake is a traditional British Christmas cake that is full of fruits and nuts and laced with alcohol, usually brandy. This gives the fruit cake a subtle brandy flavor and a moist texture, plus it also allows the fruit cake to be stored fora long time. I always enjoy eating it with a glass of red wine or even a cup of espresso.
Fruitcakes should be made well in advance of the time that they will be used. One month of storage is a necessity. Two, three, or even four months is not too long a time if the storage facilities are cool and dry.
Fruitcakes freeze very well. However, they must be aged at least four weeks before freezing, as they do not mellow while they are frozen
Take several days to make your cake or cakes. prepare the nuts and fruits, pour the liquor to be used over them, and let the mixture stand well covered for two or three days. Then make the batter and bake your cakes. The cakes will be better and the pressure in a busy household will be eased.
Always bake fruitcakes at a low temperature, no higher than 325 degrees and preferably much lower. Line the pans with brown paper or waxed paper to prevent the cakes from burning during the long baking time. Always place a pan of hot water on the floor of the oven. This prevents the cakes from drying out. Test for doneness with a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake. It will come out moist, but not doughy, when the cake is done.
Cool fruitcakes on a rack in the pans in which they were baked. When cakes are cooled, turn them out of the pans and carefully peel off the paper. If you are not decorating the cakes before storing them, wrap them in cheesecloth. Sprinkle liberally with whatever liquor or wine was used in the recipe. Seal the cakes in plastic wrap or in plastic storage bags. Once a week, brush the cakes with more liquor.
Perhaps the most important, don't feel absolutely bound by a recipe.
If the recipe calls for brandy and you don't have it (or like it), use wine or even a fruit juice of your choice.
If the recipe calls for citron and you don't care for citron, substitute another candied or dried fruit.
If you don't like raisins, use more chopped dates and fewer raisins.
If the recipe calls for particular amounts of candied pineapple and cherries, the same weight of a fruit mix may be used. The important thing to keep in mind is that the weight of fruit and nuts should be approximately the same as in the original recipe.
Within this boundary, you can make substitutions of your own choice.
Additional Fruitcake Tips and Hints:
Use fresh good quality ingredients - make sure spices are fresh.
Soak fruit and nuts at least overnight in fruit juice or liquors to soften, drain and use excess liquid in recipe.
Dredge fruit and nuts with some flour so they won't sink in batter. Shake off excess flour and use in the recipe
If changing pan sizes, remember baking time will be altered in the recipe. Fruitcakes may be baked in muffin tins, disposable pans, etc.
Be sure to grease and flour pans or use greased brown paper for liners. Greased wax paper is also used in some recipes.
Place a pan of water on rack or on the oven floor below the baking cake.
If cake is browning too fast, place a sheet of foil the top of the cake.
Test for doneness by placing a metal/wooden skewer in center of cake. If it comes out clean, cake is done. Be careful not to over bake
.
Always cool fruitcakes completely in pan and remove when cold.
Pour or brush some liquor of choice over hot cakes for good flavor. Poke cake with skewer if desired.
Fruitcakes taste better with age! This is called "ripening." Liquor based cakes may be stored several months in advance in a cool place prior to serving. Non-liquor soaked cakes may be kept in a cool place or in refrigerator for short term storage or a or freezer for long storage. Be sure to ripen fruit cakes a few weeks before freezing.
To store for a long period of time, wrap the cake in brandy or wine-soaked towels, and then wrap in either plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
wrapping fruitcake
For very long storage, bury the liquor-soaked cake in powdered sugar and place in a tightly covered tin in a cool place (fruit cakes can be enjoyed as long as 25 years this way.) Check liquored-soaked cakes periodically and rewrap in liquor soaked cloth.
Frost cakes close to serving time (not ahead of time). Use a sugar-syrup glaze to brush on cakes for a shine and to adhere.
Slice cakes in a sawing motion with sharp thin blade of knife or a serrated knife.
Add 1 cup of applesauce to your fruit cake recipes to make a moister fruitcake.
Re-freshen stale (old) fruitcakes by gently heating pieces (microwave or steamer) and serve with a hard sauce, brandy sauce, glaze or desired topping.
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
Fruit Cake Recipe Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch Step By Step With Pineapple Jamie Oliver Nigella Easy Moist Martha Stewart In Urdu
No comments:
Post a Comment