Chunky Brandied Christmas 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!

CHUNKY BRANDIED CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Day one.
• Coarsley chop all the dried fruit and place into a large glass or ceramic bowl.
• Pour over brandy, cover with cling wrap and leave overnight (at least 12 hours) on your kitchen bench. Don't refridgerate.
• Day two.
• Add in coarsley chopped nuts and sugar. Stir.
• In a seperate bowl, beat the eggs with the essence until thick. Add the flour and baking powder and stir.
• Mix the cake mixture in with the fruit and nut mix, stir well.
• Pour mixture into a greased and lined deep 20cm cake tin.
• Gently drop the filled cake tin on the floor 5 times to remove all air bubbles.
• Bake at 140oC for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until cooked.
• Cool completley in the tin.
• Serve in small slices.

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.

CHUNKY NUT AND DRIED FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan;, set aside. In very large bowl beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Alternately beat in flour and orange juice, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in nuts and fruits until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading top evenly.
• Bake 1 1/4 hours or until wooden skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. If necessary, cover top of cake with aluminum foil anywhere from the last 30 minutes to the last 15 or 20 minutes to prevent over browning. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on rack. Wrap cake in cheesecloth that has been soaked in brandy or orange juice. Wrap cake in foil and refrigerate up to 1 month. Moisten cheesecloth every week.