Sunday, November 2, 2014

Fruitcake: Part two

I bet you thought I'd forgotten I was going to share more about fruitcake, didn't you?

I didn't.  I've been meaning to get to making a fruitcake, but time kept getting in the way and tripping me.
sheesh   
But I'm here now, and ready to go.   I've been soaking my fruit for a couple of days now, it's important to let them soak overnight in some rum.   At least according to the recipe I got from my sister this year.
That pretty red and orange cloth my slate is sitting on is one that my other sister wove.   It's supposed to be a tea towel, but I like it as a backdrop for my pictures. 
Both my sisters make totally awesome fruitcakes.   I mean, if they should happen to offer me some, I'm likely to lick the plate it was put on.  And while I think I make a good one, both of theirs are better than mine.     So, I decided I would ask my 'slightly' oldest sister for her recipe this year.   And I made it.    Well, mostly the way she does.  But I added nuts to mine, cause gee, I like nuts.

And following is the 'original' recipe, but I didn't want that much fruitcake, cause, ummm,. I'd would just eat it.   I know it's meant to be eaten, but, I really don't need to eat 5 or so loaves worth.   After the recipe here is my version. 
According to the cookbook this is Edith Adams Dark Rich Fruit Cake.   I have no idea who Edith Adams was, but she had a great recipe.   And who would have ever thought of putting grape jelly into a fruit cake?   Apart from her, that is.  ****A friend just informed me that Edith Adams was a columnist for the Vancouver Sun and I wanted to put that little bit of information in here.

Edith Adams Dark Rich Fruit Cake   (15 lbs)
1 lb. Butter
1 lb. Sugar  (2 cups)
1 lb. Flour  (4 cups)
1 6 oz. jar Grape Jelly
1 square chocolate, melted  
1 tsp. baking powder
12 medium egg yolks, beaten thoroughly
Juice of one orange
1 cup grape juice, or 1/2 cup juice and 1/2 cup rum
1/2 lb. blanched almonds
1 lb. Pecans, halved
3 lbs. washed seedless raisins
1 lb. sultana raisins
1 lb. candied pineapple
1 lb. candied red cherries, whole or cut
1 lb. candied green cherries, whole or cut
1 lb. candied citron peel, cut fine
12 medium egg whites beaten stiff

Prepare almonds and soak overnight in orange juice. Prepare fruit and soak overnight in rum/juice.   Sprinkle a little of the flour over the fruit.  Cream butter, adding sugar as in general directions; add beaten yolks, jelly and chocolate.   Add flour.  Add fruit, a small amount at a time, mixing thoroughly.   Add nuts.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Put into 3, 4 or 5 lined pans, and bake in slow oven, 275 degrees.  Test for doneness.

Sid's Rich Fruitcake version
1/2 lb. Butter (2 sticks)
1/2 lb. Sugar (1 cup)
3 oz.  Pomegranate Jelly  (I've been in 3 grocery stores in the past couple of days and forgot to buy Grape Jelly.  Maybe cause I really don't like grape jelly?)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Molasses  (my sister uses molasses in place of the chocolate square)
1 tsp. Baking Powder
5 large egg yolks, beaten together
1/2 cup rum
1/2 lb. Blanched Almonds
1/2 lb. Pecan pieces
1/2 lb. Craisins
1/2 lb. sultana raisins
1/2 lb. candied pineapple
1/2 lb. candied red cherries
1/2 lb. candied green cherries
1 lb. fruit cake mix  (has citron, cherries and pineapple in it)
5 large egg whites, beaten stiff

Soak the fruit overnight (or for a couple of days) in the rum.

  Sprinkle a little of the flour over the fruit.












Cream the butter and sugar together until the sugar crystals have dissolved.  Add the beaten egg yolks, jelly and molasses.  Mix together well.  Add the flour and mix until well combined.  Totally optional, stop and take a deep breath of the wonderful molassessy goodness wafting out of the bowl, take a small spoon and taste.  Look at the dog who's sitting by your feet sniffing the air, dip a little of the raw dough out for her and let her have a taste.  Then tip some of the fruit into the bowl, mix adding the rest of the fruit a little at a time,

til it's all mixed in.   Add the nuts, if you haven't already.

And I have to say, I love my Kitchenaid, that fruitcake batter gets a little heavy to move around. 










 Fold in the beaten egg whites.














 See how much lighter the batter appears?   That's the magic of the egg whites.











Divide dough into two well greased and parchment lined loaf pans, bake at 275 degrees until done.
I baked mine for just over 2 hours.   Test for doneness.

And I should note here, I used Craisins instead of the raisins.  But I did get sultanas.


 Take fruitcake out of the parchment lined pans, and peel off the parchment.   Set on a cooling rack.

Let cool. 

 



After baking, wrap well, in some rum soaked cheesecloth and set in a dark place to cure for 6 - 8 weeks.  At least I made it under the wire, and my fruitcake now has time to get nice and boozy and rich.

I don't know if I should admit it.

But I cut into one of the cakes already and tasted it.   Then I wrapped both of them up in some rum soaked cloths and put them into a ziploc bag and left them in nice dark place.   I'll check on them in a couple of weeks, add some more rum to it, and just feed them every couple of weeks until Christmas.

But I also realized that I'd cut down on the amount of fruit, but ummm, didn't cut the recipe for the batter by as much as I'd cut down on the amount of fruit, so the two loaves I made are good, but not as 'fruity' as I would have liked.  But I've still got some fruit left and it's now soaking.   In rum that is.   giggle.
Cause I'm on a fruitcake roll.

Umm, did that sound funny? 

Go have some fun in the kitchen.  Next up for me are cookies.  I'm going to make some Grand Slams next.  Haven't had them in a few years, but I'm in the mood for a sugar rush.     And these deliver that.    I'll tell you all about them as soon as I make them. 


Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

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