Christmas Cake



Ingredients

 

500g Seedless Raisins

200g Currants

100g Chopped Glace Cherries

175g Mixed Peel

175g Chopped Almonds

125g Apricot Jam

6tbsp Dark Rum

1 1/2tbsp Soft Brown Sugar

One week before making the cake put all of the above ingredients into a bowl and cover, coming back to give it a stir every other day.

 

Oil and line a 9 inch round tin with two layers of baking parchment and wrap the outside of the tin with two layers of brown paper.

 

Pre heat oven to 150oC

 

Then you will need.

 

175g Butter

250g Soft Brown Sugar

4 Large Eggs

210g Plain Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

3/4 tsp Mixed Spice

3/4 tsp Nutmeg

Cream the butter and sugar together then add a little beaten egg gradually. Now add the fruit mix and give it a good stir. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and nutmeg all into the mix and give it another stir until all combined. Pour into the tin and bake for 3 1/2 hours. After 2 hours cover the top with a circle of grease proof paper.

 

When you remove the cake from the oven pour over another two tablespoons of rum. Wrap up and let it mature for a month or two, feeding it with a tablespoon of rum now and again. Then decorate just before Christmas.

 

Frozen Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

4oz Margarine

4oz Caster Sugar

4oz Self Raising Flour

2 Eggs

1 Punnet Raspberries

1/2 Litre Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream

Summer Fruits Coulis (alternative Raspberry Jam)

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC. Whisk the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat one egg at a time until all combined. Sift the flour into the mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased tin and bake for 40-50 minutes depending on the size of tin.

Once cooked allow to cool and then cut in half so you can layer it.

Line the edge of the tin you baked the cake in with grease proof paper then put half of the cake in the bottom of the tin. Pour some fruit coulis over the sponge then line the raspberries around the edge of the sponge. Scoop ice cream into the middle and spread evenly. Place the second piece of sponge on top and repeat the process decorating the centre with additional raspberries.

Place back in the freezer for a couple hours and give it a minute to thaw slightly before serving.

Florentines

Makes 18-24

Ingredients

50g Butter

50g Golden Caster Sugar

2tsp Runny Honey

50g Plain Flour

50g Candied Peel

50g Dried Cranberries

30g Light Toasted Almond Flakes

100g Chocolate (of your preference)

Firstly turn your oven to 160oC. In a saucepan melt butter, sugar and honey then set aside to cool a little. Mix the rest of the ingredients (apart from the chocolate) add the butter mixture and mix. Put teaspoons of the mixture on a flat tray and flatten slightly with the back of your spoon. Bake for 7-8mins until light gold in colour.

Let the Florentines cool then melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top or spread chocolate over the backs and let cool. Enjoy :-)