Christmas cake and pudding recipes
Discussion
Does anyone have any (reasonably foolproof) recipes for Christmas cake and Christmas pudding (made from scratch)?
We've friends over from Oz at Christams, and although I'm working Christmas Day and Boxing Day, I wouldn't mind doing either cake or pudding, as I'm off from the Monday until the New Year. Besides that, I do like a nice Christmas pudding.
We've friends over from Oz at Christams, and although I'm working Christmas Day and Boxing Day, I wouldn't mind doing either cake or pudding, as I'm off from the Monday until the New Year. Besides that, I do like a nice Christmas pudding.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmascake_23... seems to work for me.
You need to start mid Sept though.
Soak all fruits etc in brandy or whisky for a week or so prior to use.
Add a double circle of baking paper with a small hole on top of the cooking cake.
Water regularly in its airtight container in the months leading up to the almond paste then icing.
You need to start mid Sept though.
Soak all fruits etc in brandy or whisky for a week or so prior to use.
Add a double circle of baking paper with a small hole on top of the cooking cake.
Water regularly in its airtight container in the months leading up to the almond paste then icing.
I always go with a slightly adapted Be-Ro recipe http://www.be-ro.com/recipe/showrec96.html but that one on the BBC site sound great - Time for a change this year methinks!
Edited by jonlk on Sunday 19th September 18:19
randlemarcus said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmascake_23... seems to work for me.
You need to start mid Sept though.
CheersYou need to start mid Sept though.
I knew it was a longish process, which is why I was asking so far ahead of time. I really don't like thinking of Christmas so far ahead, but will have to for the cake.
BigWithey said:
Ok here we go:
10oz Currants
10oz Raisins
10oz Sultanas
10oz Self Raising Flour (sieved)
6oz glace cherries (halved)
2 x T spoons Ground Almonds
2 X T spoons of Mixed Peel
large pinch Flaked Almonds
8oz Dark Sugar (I prefer muscovado but molasses will do)
8oz butter
1 x heaped T spoon mixed spice
6 eggs
1 x 500ml Bottle of Guinness (not the widget cans!)
Optional spirit (I use spiced rum but whiskey or brandy can be used)
Grease proof paper
Brown paper
Soak the fruit, cherries and peel in the Guinness over night, the fruit should soak up nearly all the Guinness.
Light the oven gas mark 2
Gently mix the eggs in a jug/bowl
Using a wooden spoon cream the butter {20secs in micro will get the butter just right from the fridge) and sugar in a large mixing bowl then mix in the almonds, spice, flour, eggs, soaked fruit and a large slosh of spirit. I use the eggs as the "water" in the mix adding as you go, if you find the mix too wet just add a little more flour. The finished mix should do the 5 sec drop test, take a wooden spoon full and turn it over, the mix should hold for 5 secs before dropping into the bowl.
The mix should do 2 x medium cake tins, grease and line with grease proof paper, then put the brown paper around the outside of the tins (sellotape will work) 3/4 fill the tins with the mix and give the tins a little tap.
The secret is a low slow cook so middle of the oven gas mark 2 for about 3hrs, I check at 2 - 2 1/2hrs, use a knitting needle pushed into the cake if it comes out "wet" it needs a little longer, it's better to be slightly moist than too dry (ooo'er missus) so check it!!
Once cooked leave to cool in the tin for a couple of hours then leave on a rack to totally cool. Once cool turn the cake upside down and using a skewer / knitting needle make half a dozen holes in the bottom of the cake, make sure you don't push right through, then dribble some spirit on to the base of the cake and leave for 30 mins to soak in, this can be repeated every couple of weeks or so if desired.
I wrap in grease proof paper and store in tins / tupperware type containers, I don't "do" marzipan/ icing ...sorry
Any questions just ask ....
Jon
Original thread Click 10oz Currants
10oz Raisins
10oz Sultanas
10oz Self Raising Flour (sieved)
6oz glace cherries (halved)
2 x T spoons Ground Almonds
2 X T spoons of Mixed Peel
large pinch Flaked Almonds
8oz Dark Sugar (I prefer muscovado but molasses will do)
8oz butter
1 x heaped T spoon mixed spice
6 eggs
1 x 500ml Bottle of Guinness (not the widget cans!)
Optional spirit (I use spiced rum but whiskey or brandy can be used)
Grease proof paper
Brown paper
Soak the fruit, cherries and peel in the Guinness over night, the fruit should soak up nearly all the Guinness.
Light the oven gas mark 2
Gently mix the eggs in a jug/bowl
Using a wooden spoon cream the butter {20secs in micro will get the butter just right from the fridge) and sugar in a large mixing bowl then mix in the almonds, spice, flour, eggs, soaked fruit and a large slosh of spirit. I use the eggs as the "water" in the mix adding as you go, if you find the mix too wet just add a little more flour. The finished mix should do the 5 sec drop test, take a wooden spoon full and turn it over, the mix should hold for 5 secs before dropping into the bowl.
The mix should do 2 x medium cake tins, grease and line with grease proof paper, then put the brown paper around the outside of the tins (sellotape will work) 3/4 fill the tins with the mix and give the tins a little tap.
The secret is a low slow cook so middle of the oven gas mark 2 for about 3hrs, I check at 2 - 2 1/2hrs, use a knitting needle pushed into the cake if it comes out "wet" it needs a little longer, it's better to be slightly moist than too dry (ooo'er missus) so check it!!
Once cooked leave to cool in the tin for a couple of hours then leave on a rack to totally cool. Once cool turn the cake upside down and using a skewer / knitting needle make half a dozen holes in the bottom of the cake, make sure you don't push right through, then dribble some spirit on to the base of the cake and leave for 30 mins to soak in, this can be repeated every couple of weeks or so if desired.
I wrap in grease proof paper and store in tins / tupperware type containers, I don't "do" marzipan/ icing ...sorry
Any questions just ask ....
Jon
going to spend the next 8 weeks or so soaking it in brandy then marzipan and icing 
my recipe:
call mum in september. ask for a miniumum of two cakes. argue that i need two as one will be demolished between xmas and new year.
say thankyou.
wait until xmas eve. receive two of the most amazing xmas cakes you'll ever taste.
easy peasy. my mum is a cake decorator so makes a couple of fruitcakes a week. xmas ones are for family only and are amazing.
call mum in september. ask for a miniumum of two cakes. argue that i need two as one will be demolished between xmas and new year.
say thankyou.
wait until xmas eve. receive two of the most amazing xmas cakes you'll ever taste.
easy peasy. my mum is a cake decorator so makes a couple of fruitcakes a week. xmas ones are for family only and are amazing.
OK thats the Crimbo Cake sorted .... what about the Pudding ..... gotta hide a shilling somewhere!!!
(brandy butter i have covered!!!!)
Not a brandy drinker but have 3 litres of Cordon Bleu so need an excuse to use it up in an excessively boozy xmas!!! especially as my mother will be here so need something to numb the senses!!!
(brandy butter i have covered!!!!)
Not a brandy drinker but have 3 litres of Cordon Bleu so need an excuse to use it up in an excessively boozy xmas!!! especially as my mother will be here so need something to numb the senses!!!
We go by the Marguerite Patten recipe.
copy pasted below from Grauniad, no chance to check if it's the same one as in THE book.
btw, FiF warning, toxic gas alert when eaten within 24 hours of chestnut stuffing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/nov/24...
Always follow the recipe
Marguerite Patten, one of the very first celebrity chefs, has been offering advice for 60 years. Her Christmas cake is legendary
Not only was my mother a splendid homemaker, she also provided us with interesting and nutritious meals. As she was a keen gardener, these included a wide range of vegetables and seasonal fruits.
Mother was widowed when I was 12 with a younger brother and sister. She returned to teaching to support us, so her days were very busy. She still did quite a lot of baking, making pastry dishes and simple cakes, but i think she was delighted when i began to do some of the cooking and showed a particular interest in baking.
Today i still enjoy every aspect of cooking, but get a special thrill when i take a luscious-looking cake, quiche or loaf from the oven.
Baking to some people is slightly alarming, but there are a few essential rules that will help you through. Perhaps most importantly, whereas you can adapt most savoury dishes to give the dish your own individual taste, it is wise to follow a good recipe for a cake, biscuit or loaf explicitly - and without change. There has to be a distinct relationship between the proportions of fat, sugar, eggs etc to ensure success ...
A famous Christmas cake
This recipe dates back to 1954. It was the first year after the end of rationing, and to celebrate this I demonstrated on BBC television a really rich Christmas cake, a rich Christmas pudding and delicious homemade mincemeat. Since that time, these have become favourite recipes with many people.
One person did not approve of the recipes, contacted the BBC and demanded it no longer employed me. Her reason was that I and Winston Churchill were leading the youth of Britain astray: he because he drank alcohol, and I because I used alcohol in my Christmas cooking.
You can make this cake several weeks before Christmas, but it is still delicious if made at the last minute.
Makes a 23cm round cake or 20cm square cake
350g plain flour (no raising agent)
1 tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste
1 tsp mixed spice, or to taste
115g mixed candied peel, chopped (FiF:- we leave out the candied peel)
900g mixed dried fruit (preferably 450g currants, 225g sultanas, 225g seedless raisins)
50-115g blanched almonds, chopped
115g glace cherries, chopped
4 large eggs, whisked
4 tbsp sherry or brandy or rum or milk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
225g butter
225g sugar, preferably dark moist brown sugar
1 level tbsp black treacle or golden syrup
Prepare the tin carefully. Line the inside bottom with a double layer of brown paper, then cover this with a double thickness of baking parchment. Line the sides of the tin with greased greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Tie a deep double band of brown paper round the outside of the tin.
Sift together the flour and spices. Mix the peel, dried fruits, almonds and cherries (if these are slightly sticky, flour them lightly). Blend the eggs with the sherry, brandy, rum or milk. Cream together the lemon and orange zest with the butter, sugar and treacle or golden syrup until soft. Do not overbeat, as this type of cake does not need as much aerating as light cakes. Gradually blend in the egg mixture and sifted dry ingredients. Stir in all the fruit. Spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth flat on top, then press the top with slightly damp knuckles, as this helps to keep the cake moist and flat.
Bake in the centre of an oven preheated to 160C (140-150C in a fan oven) for 1...#8747; hours, then lower the heat to 140-150C (120-130C in a fan oven) and cook for approximately 2 hours. Baking times for rich fruit cakes like this vary considerably according to your particular oven, so test it carefully.
To test the cake: first press firmly on top - there should be no impression - then check to see if the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin. If it has, remove from the oven; listen carefully. A rich fruit cake that is not quite cooked gives a definite humming noise, in which case return it to the oven for a short time and test again. Cool the cake in the baking tin; when completely cold turn it out carefully; wrap in foil and store in an airtight tin.
This cake is given a very moist texture if you prick it once or twice before icing and pour several teaspoons of sherry or brandy or rum into the cake. Use a steel knitting needle or fine skewer, make a number of small holes on top of the cake and spoon the sherry, brandy or rum over this. If wished, turn the cake upside down and do the same again. Wrap the soaked cake tightly in foil and store in a cool, dry place. If you do not wish to moisten the cake during storage, do not worry, for it is still very rich and delicious.
edited to add, not sure what 1...#8747; means, iirc we do it about ~1 hour at the higher temp then turn oven down and do it until it passes the skewer / feel test to determine if cooked. No failures yet.
copy pasted below from Grauniad, no chance to check if it's the same one as in THE book.
btw, FiF warning, toxic gas alert when eaten within 24 hours of chestnut stuffing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/nov/24...
Always follow the recipe
Marguerite Patten, one of the very first celebrity chefs, has been offering advice for 60 years. Her Christmas cake is legendary
Not only was my mother a splendid homemaker, she also provided us with interesting and nutritious meals. As she was a keen gardener, these included a wide range of vegetables and seasonal fruits.
Mother was widowed when I was 12 with a younger brother and sister. She returned to teaching to support us, so her days were very busy. She still did quite a lot of baking, making pastry dishes and simple cakes, but i think she was delighted when i began to do some of the cooking and showed a particular interest in baking.
Today i still enjoy every aspect of cooking, but get a special thrill when i take a luscious-looking cake, quiche or loaf from the oven.
Baking to some people is slightly alarming, but there are a few essential rules that will help you through. Perhaps most importantly, whereas you can adapt most savoury dishes to give the dish your own individual taste, it is wise to follow a good recipe for a cake, biscuit or loaf explicitly - and without change. There has to be a distinct relationship between the proportions of fat, sugar, eggs etc to ensure success ...
A famous Christmas cake
This recipe dates back to 1954. It was the first year after the end of rationing, and to celebrate this I demonstrated on BBC television a really rich Christmas cake, a rich Christmas pudding and delicious homemade mincemeat. Since that time, these have become favourite recipes with many people.
One person did not approve of the recipes, contacted the BBC and demanded it no longer employed me. Her reason was that I and Winston Churchill were leading the youth of Britain astray: he because he drank alcohol, and I because I used alcohol in my Christmas cooking.
You can make this cake several weeks before Christmas, but it is still delicious if made at the last minute.
Makes a 23cm round cake or 20cm square cake
350g plain flour (no raising agent)
1 tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste
1 tsp mixed spice, or to taste
115g mixed candied peel, chopped (FiF:- we leave out the candied peel)
900g mixed dried fruit (preferably 450g currants, 225g sultanas, 225g seedless raisins)
50-115g blanched almonds, chopped
115g glace cherries, chopped
4 large eggs, whisked
4 tbsp sherry or brandy or rum or milk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
225g butter
225g sugar, preferably dark moist brown sugar
1 level tbsp black treacle or golden syrup
Prepare the tin carefully. Line the inside bottom with a double layer of brown paper, then cover this with a double thickness of baking parchment. Line the sides of the tin with greased greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Tie a deep double band of brown paper round the outside of the tin.
Sift together the flour and spices. Mix the peel, dried fruits, almonds and cherries (if these are slightly sticky, flour them lightly). Blend the eggs with the sherry, brandy, rum or milk. Cream together the lemon and orange zest with the butter, sugar and treacle or golden syrup until soft. Do not overbeat, as this type of cake does not need as much aerating as light cakes. Gradually blend in the egg mixture and sifted dry ingredients. Stir in all the fruit. Spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth flat on top, then press the top with slightly damp knuckles, as this helps to keep the cake moist and flat.
Bake in the centre of an oven preheated to 160C (140-150C in a fan oven) for 1...#8747; hours, then lower the heat to 140-150C (120-130C in a fan oven) and cook for approximately 2 hours. Baking times for rich fruit cakes like this vary considerably according to your particular oven, so test it carefully.
To test the cake: first press firmly on top - there should be no impression - then check to see if the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin. If it has, remove from the oven; listen carefully. A rich fruit cake that is not quite cooked gives a definite humming noise, in which case return it to the oven for a short time and test again. Cool the cake in the baking tin; when completely cold turn it out carefully; wrap in foil and store in an airtight tin.
This cake is given a very moist texture if you prick it once or twice before icing and pour several teaspoons of sherry or brandy or rum into the cake. Use a steel knitting needle or fine skewer, make a number of small holes on top of the cake and spoon the sherry, brandy or rum over this. If wished, turn the cake upside down and do the same again. Wrap the soaked cake tightly in foil and store in a cool, dry place. If you do not wish to moisten the cake during storage, do not worry, for it is still very rich and delicious.
edited to add, not sure what 1...#8747; means, iirc we do it about ~1 hour at the higher temp then turn oven down and do it until it passes the skewer / feel test to determine if cooked. No failures yet.
Edited by F i F on Wednesday 13th October 13:12
Used Delia Smiths recipe from the complete cookery course page 554. Picture after 2nd layer of icing. Travelling 1400km north on Wednesday so just off to add the second layer so it sets before we set off.
final layer added. 50% fruit, 40% sugar and 10% flour and a few nuts - Mmmmmmmm
final layer added. 50% fruit, 40% sugar and 10% flour and a few nuts - Mmmmmmmm
Edited by Bob the Planner on Monday 20th December 10:01
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