desserts - cold recipe: fruit cake

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desserts - cold recipe:

fruit cake

ingredients

	15 cm round or 13 cm square	20 cm round or 18 cm square	23 cm round or 20 cm square	28 cm round or 25 cm square
currants sultanas raisins glacé cherries mixed peel almonds, chopped grated lemon rind grated orange rind brandy plain flour a pinch salt grated nutmeg mixed spice soft brown sugar black treacle unsalted butter eggs	225 gm 75 gm 75 gm 40 gm 40 gm 40 gm 1 tsp ½ tsp 3 tbs 110 gm ½ tsp ¼ tsp ¼ tsp 110 gm 1 tsp 110 gm 2 pc	450 gm 175 gm 175 gm 50 gm 50 gm 50 gm 1 tsp ½ tsp 3 tbs 225 gm ½ tsp ¼ tsp ¼ tsp 225 gm 2 tsp 225 gm 4 pc	575 gm 225 gm 225 gm 60 gm 60 gm 60 gm 1 tsp 1 tsp 4 tbs 275 gm ½ tsp ½ tsp ¼ tsp 275 gm 1 tbs 275 gm 5 pc	900 gm 350 gm 350 gm 110 gm 110 gm 110 gm 2 tsp 1 tsp 6 tbs 450 gm ½ tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp 450 gm 1 ½ tbs 450 gm 8 pc
Cooking times	3 ½ hours	4½-4¾ hours	4 ¾ hours	5 ½ hours

production

The night before making the cake, place all the dried fruits, peel, chopped nuts and zest in a bowl and mix in the brandy. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.

Line cake tin with a buttered and floured greaseproof base and collar that extends at least 5cm above the rim of the cake tin.

Pre-heat the oven to 140°C

Sieve the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, and in a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture's light and fluffy

Beat the eggs add a tbs at a time to the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. If it looks as if it might start to curdle, you can prevent this happening by adding a little of the flour.
When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices (fold, don't beat)

Stir in the brandied soaked fruits etc and the treacle

Spoon into the prepared cake tin, and spread it out evenly with the back of a wet spoon

Cover with the top of the cake with a double layer of tin foil (with a 2cm hole in the middle)

Bake on the lower shelf of the oven, see above for baking times, do not open the door until at least 3 hours have passed

Test and remove when cooked. Remove from the tin and cool and cooling rack, Removing the greaseproof paper collar and base when cool enough to handle

When cold, wrap it well in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin

Feed it every three days over two weeks by making a few holes in the top with a thin darning needle and pour a few teaspoons of brandy

chef notes:

This scaling up is more difficult with cake recipes - they cannot simply be doubled or tripled. However, as a general rule, square tins hold about 25 per cent more than round tins of the same size. The cooking temperature would be the same, but it might take longer to cook, and it's a good idea to turn the cake tin round in the oven a few times because the corners tend to cook faster than the middle.

abbreviations:	lt	=	litres
	ml	=	millelitres
	kg	=	kilograms
	gm	=	grams
	tsp	=	teaspoon
	tbs	=	tablespoon
	sq	=	sufficient quantity (add to taste)
	pc	=	piece, meaning a whole one of

email chef@tallyrand.info