Brandy Fruitcake Food

RICH BRANDY CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!
• pre-heat oven to 275ºF/140ºC.
• Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.
• Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.
• Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.
• Fold in the flour and spices.
• Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
• Mix in the treacle.
• Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.
• Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
• Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.
• When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
• Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glacè cherry syrup.
• First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.
• Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.
• Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!

GOLDEN BRANDY BUNDT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300D F.
• Mix together almonds and fruit: Set aside.
• Mix together flour, baking powder and salt: Set aside.
• Grease Bundt pan well and lightly flour it.
• Cream shortening (or butter) and sugar well.
• Beat in eggs.
• Add vanilla.
• Blend flour mixture alternately with brandy into creamed shortening and sugar.
• Add almond and fruit mixture and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Keep a pan of hot water on lowest shelf of oven while cake is baking.
• Bake for about 2 hours until cake tests done.
• Cool in pan 10-15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on wire rack.
• Wrap cake in brandy soaked cloth and store in airtight container in fridge for several weeks.

THE BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

BRANDY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300° F and grease an 8-inch square pan and line with two layers of parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with tin foil (this insulates the cake through its slow cooking process).
• Toss apricots, pineapple, candied orange peel, cherries, raisins and pecan halves with 1/2 cup of flour and set aside. Sift remaining flour with baking powder.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in zests. Add flour alternately with brandy in three additions until evenly incorporated. Stir in fruits and spread into prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until a tester is inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
• For icing, beat butter with 1/4 cup of icing sugar until fluffy. Stir in brandy and beat in remaining icing sugar until desired spreadable consistency is achieved. Spread over top of cake.
• Fruitcake can be stored up to a month (plain) or a week (iced) in an airtight container.
• To prepare oranges for blanching, slice off top and tail of the orange and score the orange lengthwise in 5 places. Pull the scored peel off the orange, as if peeling the fruit to eat. Julienne the peel in 1/4-inch slices and dice. Blanch the peel in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes and drain (this draws away the bitterness). Return peel to pot with sugar and 1 cup of water and bring up to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, until peel looks translucent. Drain well and spread peel onto a baking sheet to cool and dry for 1 to 2 hours.
• Store candied orange peel in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Yield: approximately 3/4 cup.

BRANDIED FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine the 3/4 cup cherries, pineapple and brandy.
• Cover and chill overnight.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda, set aside.
• For batter, in a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
• Add egg and cottage cheese and beat until combined, beat in flour mixture.
• Cover and chill overnight.
• Stir brandied fruits mixture into batter.
• Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Add additional cherries to garnish tops of cookies.
• Bake at 375°F for 9 to 11 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.
• Cool completely on racks.
• May be frozen.

UNCLE BILL'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE WITH BRANDY

Steps:

• Remove pineapple rings from syrup.
• DO NOT USE SYRUP IN CAKE.
• Cut both red and green pineapple rings into chunks (about 6 chunks of each ring.) In a large mixing bowl, add red and green pineapple chunks, pecans, almonds, red and green maraschino cherries, mixed peel and raisins and mix well.
• Add the entire bottle of Brandy and mix well.
• Cover the bowl tightly with food film wrap and let stand overnight.
• During this marinate, mix at least two times.
• THE NEXT DAY.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• Sift 3/4 cup of flour over marinated fruit and mix well to coat.
• Now sift an additional 1/2 cup flour over fruit and mix well again.
• In a mixing bowl cream butter; set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk.
• Add baking soda and almond extract to the beaten eggs and mix well.
• Add remainder of 1 1/2 cups of flour over the fruit and mix well.
• Add creamed butter and egg mixture over fruit and mix well.
• Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, mace and cinnamon and mix very well.
• Prepare 3 bread pans (4" x 8" x 3" deep) with parchment paper (or brown paper.) Pour cake mixture equally into each pan to about 3/4" below top of pan.
• The cakes should be between 2" and 2 1/2" in thickness.
• Bake in preheated 275 F oven for 4 to 5 hours on the middle rack.
• If top of cake starts to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
• Test cake for doneness with a wooden testing stick.
• If stick comes out dry, the cakes are done.
• Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans.
• When cooled, remove from pans and place on metal racks for about 3 hours.
• Remove the brown paper carefully and discard.
• Baste the tops of each cake with Apricot Brandy or if desired with 151 Overproof Rum.
• Wrap each cake in about 4 thicknesses of cheese cloth.
• Now wrap each cake with 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Store the cakes in a cool place for at least 1 month before using (this is when they are best.) A few days before serving, unwrap the top of the foil and baste the cake through the cheesecloth with brandy or rum.
• Re-wrap and let sit for a few days.
• This cake freezes very well.

BRANDIED CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine candied pineapple, cherries, raisins, and 1/2 cup brandy in a small bowl. Cover and let stand overnight.
• Drain the fruit, reserving 1/3 cup brandy. (If the fruit has absorbed most of the brandy, reserve what you can and add more to make 1/3 cup.) Set fruit and brandy aside.
• Spray two 9"x5" loaf pans liberally with baking spray.
• Melt baking chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Set aside to cool.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually add one cup sugar and blend well.
• Beat in the egg yolks two at a time, scraping down after each addition. Beat in cooled chocolate.
• Resift the flour with baking powder and add to the batter alternately with the reserved brandy. Stir in the fruit and nuts.
• Beat egg whites until they just begin to hold their shape. Then add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Fold about 1/4 of the egg whites into the batter, then gently (but thoroughly) fold in the remaining egg whites.
• Turn batter into prepared pans and place loaf pans in a roasting pan (or other baking pan). Pour enough boiling water in the outer pans to come about halfway up the sides of the loaf pans.
• Bake at 250 for 2.5 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool fruitcakes for 15 minutes, then remove from pans. Pour a few tablespoonfuls of brandy over each cake. Cool thoroughly.
• Wrap each loaf individually in plastic wrap or cheesecloth, then wrap in foil. Store for 2-8 weeks in the refrigerator before serving. Sprinkle the cakes with brandy 2-4 times during the waiting period.
• If you want to top the cake with a glaze (I never did), combine 1.5 cups powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons of whipping cream, and 1/4 teaspoons almond extract; blend until smooth, then spread evenly over cake.

FRIENDSHIP FRUITCAKE AND STARTER WITH BRANDY

Steps:

• Day 1: in a large bowl, combine brandy (or starter from a friend), 2 cups sugar and peaches; cover; store at room temperature.
• Stir daily.
• Day 5: Add 2 cups sugar and pineapple.
• Stir daily.
• Day 10: Add 2 cups sugar and cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Day 15: Drain fruit mixture; divide fruit in half.
• Reserve half for later use.
• Divide juice to make 3 or 4"starters" (at least 1-1/2 cups juice for each).
• Give juice"starter" to friends for use within 1 to 2 days.
• TO MAKE CAKE: Heat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Grease three 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.
• Combine half the fruit and nuts in a large bowl; flour with 1/2 pkg (about 2 cups) cake mix; set aside.
• Blend 1-1/2 packages cake mix, eggs and oil in another large bowl on low speed of mixer till moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Pour batter over fruit-nut mixture; mix thoroughly.
• Pour into pans and bake 60 minutes.
• Do not open door or prick or pat to test for doneness.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans.