I know, I know, far too early for Christmas, I hate it myself that the supermarkets are all gearing up for Christmas even before Halloween has been and gone. However, somethings are better if you start early, namely the cake puddings and mincemeat. If you get them made now they have a chance to mature giving much better flavours in the finished product.
Shop bought Christmas cakes, puddings etc are frequently great but not always, so I prefer to make my own. With home made stuff you can tailor make everything to suit your own specific needs. I for example hate currants so I can make sure they do not get into any of the cakes, puddings or mincemeat that I make.
For my Christmas Cake I use a variation of a Delia Smith recipe, which I have always found makes a fabulous flavoursome cake. You can hundreds of recipes on line but here's the one I use.
Ingredients
455g Dried Fruit. - 225g Raisins
75g Sultanas
55g Apricots
25g Cranberries
40g Cherries
40g Mixed Peel
Of course you can use other fruit, just ensure whatever, you use you keep the fruit total to 455g.
3tbsp Brandy
110g Plain Flour
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4tsp Mixed spice
110g Unsalted Butter
110g Dark Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
40g Chopped Almonds
1 tsp Black Treacle
1/2 Lemon rind
1/2 Orange rind
Method
Measure out all the dried fruit ingredients plus the chopped almonds and place in a bowl.
Add brandy stir thoroughly then cover.
Allow to soak over night.
Rest of the method to follow tomorrow
Looks yummy. Inspired to try it.
ReplyDeleteyou really ought to give it a go its super delicious
DeleteHa ha! I shan't have any of that mucking about this year. I still have a cake and a jar of mincemeat from last year and a pudding from two years ago. Let me know if we're doing truffles again though!
ReplyDeleteDon't brag you'll still have to do it next year. ha ha I guess truffles will be on the cards later.
DeleteUmmmmm I could just eat a slice lol... I'm the only one in our house that's eats Christmas cake, so I don't make one nowadays... I used to always make one for my Dad, it was always gone by new year lol..Px
ReplyDeleteYou could make a mini one I did last year for my hubby made it heart shaped and fancied up as a special gift. I did the ingredients and cut the quantity of ingredients by a quarter made a good sized small cake. He ate the main cake then bragged he still had his own private stash cheeky man. You could also make them as gifts they look very nice all in cellophane and you pay a packet for this sort of thing in the shops. just an idea.
Delete