Chocolate Fruitcake Food

CHOCOLATE FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
• Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
• To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange the gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar, chocolate, brandy, vanilla and dried fruits into a large saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until everything has melted together. Remove from the heat.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep cake tin, 20cm round or 18cm square, with a double layer of baking parchment. Wrap a few layers of newspaper around the outside and secure with string.
• Mix the flour, almonds, cocoa and spice together. Stir the eggs into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture in the saucepan, followed by the flour mixture. Scrape into your prepared tin and bake for 1½ hrs- 1 hr 45 mins or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then decorate (see 'Goes well with', right, for decoration ideas). Greaseproof-wrapped cake will keep for 2 months in an airtight container.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Make the Shortbread:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8" square metal pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Butter parchment.
• Whisk flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed (or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat granulated sugar and 1 1/4 cups butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium, add egg, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute more. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in orange zest, ginger, and vanilla.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add dry ingredients and beat just until combined with some visible flour remaining. Add cranberries, coconut, and chocolate. Beat just until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl, then fold dough once or twice with a spatula.
• Scrape dough into prepared pan. Using dampened fingers or a damp offset spatula, press dough evenly into pan. Bake shortbread until lightly golden brown and set, 25-30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool.
• Do Ahead: Shortbread can be baked 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• Make the Glaze and Assemble:
• Heat chocolate, oil, and salt in a small heatproof bowl in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute total. Set aside 2 Tbsp. glaze, then pour remaining glaze over cooled shortbread in pan, spreading to the edges. Let sit at room temperature until set (if you're impatient, chill 10-15 minutes).
• Run a paring knife around edge of pan to release, then remove shortbread from pan using parchment overhang. Slice into bars. To slice into diamonds, cut into five 1 1/2" strips, then slice each strip on the bias into 1" diamonds.
• Rewarm reserved glaze and drizzle over bars in stripes with a spoon. Top with sprinkles. Let sit at room temperature until set (or chill for 8-10 minutes).
• Do Ahead: Bars can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Line the sides and bottom of an 8 by 3 1/2-inch deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment. When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.
• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, coffee liqueur, orange zest and juice, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little. Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined.
• Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin. Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look. At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the cake should still be a little uncooked in the middle.
• Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.
• To decorate, place the chocolate-covered coffee beans in the centre of the cake and arrange edible gold stars around the perimeter of the top of the cake (if you can find them- not listed in ingredients as Zaar will not accept). Then sprinkle some gold mini-balls over the whole cake and sprinkle the top with edible glitter.

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Finely chop walnuts, almonds, raisins, orange and lemon peel, cherries, and ginger.
• Melt butter in a saucepan, then add sugar and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring to a boil and let it boil for 1 minute without stirring (until just turning light golden).
• Remove from heat and mix well with cream and fruit-nut mixture.
• Mix cake mix with two eggs and oil.
• Combine all ingredients.
• Scoop a heaping spoonful of dough onto cookies sheet lined with foil.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes.
• Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-COVERED FRUITCAKE BALLS

Steps:

• In a food processor grind the fruitcake until it forms a ball, scoop up rounded teaspoons of it, and with dampened hands form them into balls. Let the balls stand, uncovered, in a jelly-roll pan lined with wax paper for 30 minutes. In a small metal bowl set in a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth, and remove the bowl from the pan. Balancing the fruitcake balls, 1 at a time, on the tines of a fork, dip them into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off, and transfer them to the wax paper, reserving the remaining chocolate for another use. Chill the balls for 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is hardened. The fruitcake balls keep, covered and chilled, for 1 week.