Christmas Recipes > Cakes

Set the oven on 175 degrees.
Melt butter and let it get cool.
Grind nuts and bitter almonds.
Whip eggs and sugar white and porous.
Add the butter and the milk.
Mix nuts, flour and baking powder and stir it down into the mixture.
Pour it in a greased, breadcrumbed, ring-form (1 1/2 l).
Bake approx. 50 min. in lower part of the oven.

Set the oven on 150 degrees (celsius).
Shred the apricots, prunes or figs.
Chop the nuts roughly.
Mix flour, baking powder, the shredded fruit, figs nuts, currents or raisins and
candied peel.
Stir in the (room temperature) butter, sugar and salt, porously.
Add the eggs, one by one.
Stir well between every egg.
Stir down the fruitmix (and sherry and cognac if desired) into the mixture.
Pour it in a greased, breadcrumbed, 2-litres form.
Bake approx. 1 1/2 hour in lower part of the oven.
Let the cake mature for at least one day before it is served.
Lasts for several weeks in the fridge.

Line deep (20cm 8") round cake tin with 2 thickness of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm (2") above the edge of the tin.
Combine undrained pineapple , chopped fruit, butter, sugar, spice and soda in saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and bring to boil. boil uncovered for 3 mins. Allow to become cold. when cold add beaten eggs and sifted dry ingrediends, mix well. Spread evenly into prepared tin. bake in moderate oven 1½ - 2 hours, until cooked when tested. Cover and leave in tin until completely cold.

Cream butter until fluffy, add sugar gradually, beating at least 10 minutes. Beat in vanilla and cinnamon. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in halved cherries, sultanas, mixed peel and ground almonds. Lastly fold in sifted dry ingredients. Spread mixture evenly into greased deep 20cm (8 in) round cake tin.
Bake in slow oven 1¾ to 2 hours or until cooked when tested. Cool in tin 5 minutes, then remove. Cool completely, sprinkle with icing sugar.

Halve cherries, finely chop hazelnuts, thinly slice pineapple.
Beat butter until creamy, add sugar and lemon rind, beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sifted flour and salt, beat lightly until smooth, fold in prepared fruits and nuts.
Spread into greased and greased-paper-lined 20cm x 10cm (8 in x 4 in) loaf tin. Bake in moderately slow oven approximately 1½ hours.
Stand in tin 5 minutes before turning out on wire rack to cool. Dust top with icing sugar to serve.

Line a deep 20cm (8 in) square or deep 23cm (9 in) round cake tin with three thicknesses of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 8cm (3 in) above edges of tin.
Cut cherries in half, combine in large basin with currants and rum. Beat butter until soft, add sugar, beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture; mix well.
Stir in sifted dry ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly into prepared tin. Bake in slow oven 2½ to 3 hours, until cooked when tested. When cooked, remove from oven, brush top evenly with extra rum, cover tightly with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Remove from tin, rewrap in aluminium foil to keep airtight until required.

Grease and line with greased greaseproof paper a 23cm x 12cm (9 in x 5 in) loaf tin. Stone and halve dates, chop pineapple and apricots into large pieces, leave cherries and brazil nuts whole.
Beat eggs until thick and creamy, add sugar, vanilla and rum, beat until sugar dissolves. Add softened butter, beat until combined. Stir in sifted flours and salt. Add fruits and nuts; mix thoroughly. Spread evenly into prepared tin, bake in slow oven 1½ to 2 hours. When cooked, remove from oven, brush evenly with extra rum, cover with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Remove from tin, re-wrap in foil until required.

Chop all fruit, place in large basin, add rum, brandy or sherry, cover, stand few hours or overnight.
Line deep 23cm (9 in.) round cake tin or 19cm (7½ in.) or 20cm (8 in.) square tin with two thicknesses of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm (2 in.) above edge of tin.
Cream butter until soft, add brown sugar, beat until just combined; add orange and lemon rind. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, add marmalade. Place creamed mixture into large basin, add fruit mixture and sifted dry ingredients alternately, mix thoroughly. Place mixture into prepared tin, bake in slow oven 3 to 3½ hours to until cooked when tested.

Put halved cherries, sultanas, mixed peel, finely-chopped almonds, orange and lemon rinds, brandy and sweet sherry into bowl; mix well. Cover and stand overnight.
Beat butter until soft and creamy, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder alternately with fruit; mix well.
Spoon cake mixture into deep 23cm (9 in.) round cake tin lined with three thicknesses of greaseproof paper. Bake in slow oven 3 hours or until cooked when tested. When completely cold, turn out of tin.

Stone prunes, chop all fruit, combine in large screwtop jar with rinds, juices, whisky and peeled and grated apple, cover with plastic lid. Shake jar well to mix ingredients evenly; store in cool, dry place for 3 weeks. Reverse jar each day.
Line deep 20cm (8 in.) square cake tin with two thicknesses of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm (2 in.) above edges of tin. Chop walnuts. Beat butter until soft, add sugar, beat only until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beatin well after each addition. Place fruit mixture into large basin, add walnuts, almonds and creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Spread mixture evenly into prepared tin, bake in slow oven 3 to 3½ hours. Remove from oven, brush evenly with extra whisky, cover with aluminium foil, leave until cold. Remove from tin, re-wrap in foil to keep airtight until required.

Put milk and condensed milk into saucepan, stir over low heat until just lukewarm, remove from heat. Crush junket tablet, dissolve in the 1 tablespoon of extra milk, stir into warm milk with vanilla. Soften gelatine in water, dissolve over hot water, allow to cool but not set. Stir cooled gelatine mixture into milk mixture, mix well. Pour into shallow trays, refrigerate until set.
Spoon mixture into large bowl of electric mixer, beat on high speed for 10 minutes; the mixture will increase in bulk. Combine chopped raisins, sultanas, chopped ginger and cherries in bowl. Toast and finely chop almonds, combine with rum. Fold fruit, almonds and rum into ice-cream mixture. Beat cream until soft peaks form, gently fold into mixture, mix well. Pour mixture into greased deep 20cm (8 in.) cake tin, which has been lined with greased greaseproof paper. Cover with aluminium foil, put in freezer, freeze overnight.
To serve, unmould cake on to serving plate; decorate with extra whipped cream, if desired. After removing from freezer, allow cake to stand in refrigerator for 45 minutes. This will make cutting and serving easier.
Serves 8

Chop almonds, mixed peel and raisins finely, place in bowl, pour over rum, allow to stand 1 hour. In another bowl cream yeast and sugar, add lukewarm water, stir well. Stand in warm place until frothy (approximately 15 minutes).
Sift flour and salt, rub in butter, add extra sugar and fruit mixture, mix well. Make well in centre. Combine lukewarm milk and yeast mixture, add to flour, mix well. Cover, let stand in warm place 35 to 40 minutes.
Turn out on lightly-floured surface, knead well. Divide into half; roll each half into oval shape, approximately 2.5cm (1 in.) thick, fold one edge over lengthwise to within 2.5cm (1 in.) of other edge. Place on greased oven trays and allow to rise in warm place approximately 45 minutes. Bake in moderate oven 45 to 50 minutes.
There are two traditional German methods of finishing the Stollen; the first is to sprinkle castor sugar over the cooled cake; the other is to sprinkle with sifted icing sugar just before serving.

Place cake mixes in large bowl, make up as directed on packet. Grease deep, round 25cm (10 in.) cake tin, line base with greased greaseproof paper. Spread cake mixture evenly into prepared tin, bake in moderate oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until cooked when tested. Remove from tin, cool in wire rack.
When cold, but into four layers. Brush each layer with combined milk and Tia Maria; brush cut side of top layer.
Place one layer of cake on serving plate, spread evenly with half the chocolate filling. Top with another layer of cake, spread evenly with the whipped cream. Place another layer of cake on top of cream, spread evenly with remainder of chocolate filling. Place top layer of cake in place.
Melt chocolate in top of double saucepan, over hot water. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Pour over top of cake and spread evenly. Refrigerate until just set. Mark chocolate into sections with hot knife. Decorate sides and edge of top of cake with extra whipped cream. Decorate, if desired, with small coffee liqueur beans.

CHOCOLATE FILLING:
Beat butter until soft and creamy, gradually add sifted icing sugar, beating well, add vanilla.
Put gelatine and water in small saucepan, stir over low heat until gelatine dissolves. Allow to become cold but not set.
Put chopped chocolate in top of double saucepan, over simmering water, stir until melted. Remove from heat, add egg-yolks and rum, stir until combined, cool mixture completely. Add to butter mixture with gelatine, beat until just combined. Beat egg-whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg-whites and lightly whipped cream into butter mixture until just combined.

PASTRY:
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, ground rice and baking powder, work into creamed mixture, knead lightly until smooth. Refrigerate 45 minutes.
Roll out half the pastry to lined greased 23cm (9 in.) pie plate, fill with fruit mince. Brush edge with egg-white. Roll out remaining pastry, place in position over pie, decorate edges.
Brush top of pie with beaten egg-white. Bake in moderately hot oven for 10 minutes, reduce heat to moderate, bake further 30 minutes.
Sprinkle top of pie with sifted icing sugar. Nice topped with Frozen Brandid Cream and strawberries, or cream or ice-cream.

FILLING:
Peel and grate apple. Combine all ingredients in saucepan except cornflour and brandy. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils, reduce heat, simmer 3 minutes or until fruit is plump. Blend cornflour with brandy, mix into hot fruit mixture. Stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool before filling into pie shell.

PASTRY:
Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl, rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix to a firm dough with water.
Roll out two thirds of the pastry on lightly-floured surface to fit greased 23cm x 12cm (9 in. x 5 in.) loaf tin. Line tin with pastry, fill with fruit mixture to within 1 cm (½ in.) of top of pastry. Smooth top of fruit mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of bun. Glaze edges of pastry with beaten egg, cover with pastry top, pinch edges together. Using sharp knife, cut top in few places to enable steam to escape. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake in slow oven 2½ - 3 hours; when cooked, cool in tin on wire rack then turn out of tin.

FILLING:
Chop almonds and mixed peel. Sift all dry ingredients into bowl, mix in fruit and almonds. Add brandy and milk, mix to a soft consistency. Set aside while making pastry.

Brush egg white on crust, bake until light brown -- about 6 minutes
(if store bought)
Combine & mix B well, spoon into crust.
Mix C put on as the top of the pie
in thin sheets
Bake at 375 farenheit for about 50
minutes
Cool for about 4 hours.