Ivy, Phyllis and Me!: CHRISTMAS "TO DO LIST" ~ CHRISTMAS CAKE

Sunday, 27 October 2013

CHRISTMAS "TO DO LIST" ~ CHRISTMAS CAKE

Good Afternoon to you,

Can you feel the slight change in the air? Can you feel a little tingle of excitement mounting?

I certainly can, and the reason for this is, Christmas is coming. I know it is a little way off, but, I have to tell you, I really do feel a tad excited.

I love Christmas.

I love going to evening Church Service

I love welcoming family and friends

I love decorating our Christmas tree and decorating our home

I love buying gifts for family and friends and YES,

I even love wrapping the gifts

I love choosing the wrapping paper, ribbons and bows

I love giving gifts

I love choosing Christmas cards

I love cooking the Christmas ham

I love making our Christmas pudding

I love baking our Christmas Cake

So I think you get the gist, I really love Christmas and today is the start of it all. Today we are going to be making a Christmas Cake.

This is just the beginning for this Christmas Cake, as it is going to be dressed for Christmas, much nearer the time.

Even though it is the end of October, I always play Christmas music while I am making my Christmas cake, as it really puts me in the festive mood and reminds me of things to come.

I love Christmas Carols sung by choirs and I'm sure you will be familiar with all of the carols which I am playing, such as, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "Once in Royal David's City" and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", but this is just a few, as this Cd has 15 wonderful Christmas Carols, sung by some amazing choirs.

The Wells Cathedral Choir are singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and whilst I am putting on my apron and organising all my ingredients, I am singing along with this carol.

Just a word before we start, there are just a couple of things I would like to say. Firstly, I know the list of ingredients seems endless, but please don't be put off. Gather your ingredients, weigh them all, put them aside and then just tick each ingredient as you use it, then you will know that you have included each and every one.

Secondly, we need to start this cake the day before, as all the dried fruits need to be soaked in brandy and left for 24 hours. Some of my friends leave the dried fruits soaking for three days, but I find 24 hours is fine.

I have weighed my ingredients, so I am ready to begin.

INGREDIENTS

175g raisins

350g currants

500g sultanas

200g glace cherries cut in half

250g unsalted softened butter

100g light brown sugar

100g demerara sugar

250g self raising flour

100g ground almonds

2 teaspoons of mixed spice

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon of black treacle

1/4 teaspoon of salt

150 ml of brandy

METHOD

Butter and line a 23cm round cake tin with a double layer of parchment paper

You will need extra parchment paper to place around the outside of the cake tin. Also a length of string, to keep the parchment paper in place .

Preheat the oven to 140C. I have a fan assisted oven and I reduced the temperature by 20 degrees and baked this cake slowly at 120C.

Now, here comes the fun part,

Place the raisins, currants, sultanas

and glace cherries

in a large bowl.

Pour over 150 ml of brandy (or rum or whisky)

whichever you prefer

Stir

Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave

to steep for 24 hours.

THE NEXT DAY

In a separate large bowl whisk together

the butter

and

the sugar

until paler and fluffy

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl

Sift the flour and salt

with the cinnamon and mixed spice

Add the whisked eggs, a little at a time,
to the butter and sugar mixture,

alternating between a tablespoon of flour and
a some of the egg

(adding the flour prevents the mixture curdling)

and continue whisking.

When all the eggs have been added,

fold in the rest of the sifted flour, cinnamon and mixed spice

Fold in the ground almonds

Add the black treacle and mix well.

I find the easiest way, to get the treacle out of the
jar is to dip my spoon

into a cup of hot water. Leave it for a second

or two, dry the spoon and then dip it into the treacle,

and this allows the treacle to run off the spoon easily.

At this point you will find the mixture is a little stiff,

but don't worry as there is liquid in the

dried fruits which you are going to add next.

Add the fruit a little at a time

to the cake mixture

I add a couple of tablespoonfuls at a time
as this way, I find it easier to incorporate all the fruit

Add the mixture to the buttered and lined

cake tin

and smooth the top with a spatula.

Now is the time to double line the outside
of the cake tin. Hold the parchment paper securely
in place by
using a length of string, tied around the cake tin.

Bake
for 2 hours - 30 minutes

Insert a skewer
into the centre of the cake, and
when it comes out clean
the Christmas Cake is cooked.

Now, the timing really does depend on your oven,
as all ovens vary, as I have known this Christmas Cake
to take over 3 hours in ovens which I have used previously.
What I would say, is, it might take a little longer
and if the top of the cake is browning too quickly,
then cut a round of parchment paper and
place over the top of the cake.

I found I did not have to do this as my
Christmas Cake baked to become a
rich brown colour

Before the cake cools, add 1 tablespoon
of brandy and drizzle over the cake.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin,
then release the cake from the tin,
remove the parchment paper and
place the cake on a rack to make sure it is
completely cooled.

When the cake has completely cooled,
wrap in parchment paper, then
wrap in tin foil and store in a cool,
dry place.

Once a week, add another tablespoonful
of brandy. Allow the brandy to soak in,
then wrap the cake up again.

Whilst the cake is baking, your house will be filled with the anticipation of things to come, and you will have a home full of smiling faces as everyone will know, there is a Christmas treat waiting for them to enjoy.