Fruit And Spice Bake Food

HOME-FOR-CHRISTMAS FRUIT BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Toss apple slices with lemon juice. Arrange in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine pineapple, peaches and pears; spoon over apples. Top with cherries and pecans; set aside. , In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and reserved pineapple juice. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over fruit. Bake, uncovered, until apples are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

MARY'S BAKED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan, starting at the 9-in. end, arrange rows of fruit in the following order: half of the apricots, pears and plums, all of the peaches, then remaining apricots, pears and plums. , Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup of juice. Lay pineapple over fruit in pan. In a saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and cloves. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over fruit. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

HOT SPICED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients; gradually whisk in cranberry juice., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, combine remaining ingredients. Pour cranberry juice mixture over top., Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until pears and apples are tender, stirring once. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold.

SPICED FRUIT LOAF

Steps:

• Soak the dried fruits in the orange juice for about 30 mins, then sieve, reserving the juice.
• Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl with the spices and soaked fruit and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, reserved orange juice, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough - start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water; if it's too wet, add more flour.
• Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size - this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
• Knock the dough back by kneading for a few secs. Dust 2 x 2lb loaf tins with flour. Halve the dough. Use a little flour to help you shape each half into a smooth oval, then pop them into the tins. Cover both loosely with a clean, damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for about 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Bake for 20 mins, then cool in the tins before turning out and slicing.