Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Fruity Christmas Cake


Ingredients:

600g raisins

200g currants

100g  glacé cherries

250g mixed dried fruits, finely chopped

400ml brandy 

300g butter, room temperature

200g dark brown sugar

Zest from 1 lemon

4 eggs, room temperature

300g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

150g ground almonds

150g walnuts, chopped

 preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2.

  • Line base and sides of a 23cm round or a 20cm square tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper.
  • You will need the side lining of greaseproof paper to be at 8cm higher than the round or square tin.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
  • Grate in the zest of the lemon and beat in the eggs, one at a time.  and sifted  flour.
  • Combine spices and ground almonds. Mix into the butter mixture, alternating with the fruit.
  • Finally, fold in the walnuts. Spoon mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for about 3 hours.
  • Check after 2½ hours and then every 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center.
  • As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush with a little more booze. Leave it to cool in the tin.
  • Remove after 5 minutes and place the hot cake directly onto a large sheet of tin foil. Wrap it up twice.
  • This will retain the heat of the cake for as long as possible. After a few hours, remove cake from foil.
  • Wrap the cooled cake up again in a double sheet of greaseproof paper and a double sheet of tin foil.
  • Make sure you can access the cake from the top. Store cake in an airtight container for 2–12 weeks.
 

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THE SERENITY PRAYER

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE;
COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN;
AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

LIVING ONE DAY AT A TIME;
ENJOYING ONE MOMENT AT A TIME;
ACCEPTING HARDSHIPS AS THE PATHWAY TO PEACE;
TAKING, AS HE DID, THIS SINFUL WORLD
AS IT IS, NOT AS I WOULD HAVE IT;
TRUSTING THAT HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT
IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL;
THAT I MAY BE REASONABLY HAPPY IN THIS LIFE
AND SUPREMELY HAPPY WITH HIM
FOREVER IN THE NEXT.
AMEN.

--REINHOLD NIEBUHR