Christmas Cake
9” tin round or 8” square grease line whith parchment paper and a collar of brown paper to come up half as high as the tin
12 ounces of sultana’s (350g)
12 ounces of currants (350g)
12 ounces of raisins (350 g)
4 ounces of glace cherries (110g)
4 ounces of mixed peel
4 ounces of ground almond
2 ounces of whole almonds 50 g
Zest of orange
Zest of lemon
6 tablespoons of whiskey or brandy
8 ounces of butter (room temperature (225g)
8 ounces of soft brown sugar (225g)
6 eggs 10 ounces of plain white flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice nutmeg or cinnamon or mixed
Mix all fruit,nuts and zest. Soak in whiskey a few hours or overnight. Cream the butter add the sugar and beat until light. Fluffy whisk the eggs and add a little at a time. Mix the spice with the flour and ground almonds. Stir in gently. Add the fruit mix-do not beat.
At this stage you can add grated cooking apple,treacle or even puree of tinned strawberry put into tin, place sheet of brown paper over and bake at 180c for one hour and 170c for 2-2 and half hours. Pour whiskey over cake wrap
Almond Paste
450g 1 pound of Caster sugar
450g 1 pound of ground almonds
Two eggs
Drop of almond essence
2 tablespoons of Irish Whiskey
Mix caster sugar and ground almonds beat the eggs add the whiskey and essence add the wet mix to the dry. Mix to a stiff dough. Sprinkle worktop with icing sugar and work until smooth.
Brush beaten egg white on the cake. Roll out half the past and put on top side down. Roll out rest into the 2 long strips. Press the strips against the side sticking with egg white. Smooth with a palette knife or a water glass. Decorate with remaining paste cut into whatever shape you wish. Paint the entire cake with beaten egg yoke. Carefully place on a baking sheet ad bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove allow to cool and place on a cake board.
Enjoy.
