Christmas Cake

Good idea, I keep on forgetting to do that.

But why isn't there a link to the recipes section? I can never find it, that's why I don't use it.

Its very similar but I like the whole roasted almonds they are a big favourite here.

I think that's one of the reasons why I like it, it feels more luxurious to eat, also the cherries. In fact, the last time I made the Delia one I added loads of cherries and also some whole hazelnuts.

Recipes - hover over Life and Style at the top, choose food and then the bit you want.

It would be easier if there was a direct link though, I agree!

My recipe is from Home and Freezer Digest too, such a useful publication, I had a subscription to it and was sad when the magazine was no longer available. I had cut the recipe out and selotaped it onto a card for my recipe index. The date that I put on it was 1976!

aromart I have a fruit cake recipe that has no added sugar - just lots of fruit. It's made in a loaf tin and it's one I make all year round. I can it my "healthy cake" as it has no fat or sugar in it. I can let you have the details if you think it may be useful.

I'd like that recipe yoga.

me too

I too rememeber Home and Freezer digest.

I kept them all with labels on the front .

Do you remember freezer jam made with Rasps.

My kids loved it

I remember my mother getting that - and the freezer jam was delicious. I remember her saving yoghourt cartons to freeze it in small amounts.

Yes, I did find the recipe section eventually, but it's a real faff trying to remember where it is. I'm sure it would be used more if it were easier to spot.

kitty and teetime - I've added the recipe for the fruit cake on the recipe page (I did have a bit of bother finding the page!). I've called it "Fruit cake - no added sugar, no fat". Very unoriginal title I admit but I didn't want to use the name that it's know as in my recipe book as a it's named after the friend who passed it on to me and she might not like being recognised!

I will be cooking my cake soon too. I usually soak the fruit for a day or two in brandy first ......what do others soak their fruit in?

yogagran I've been all round the houses trying to find the recipe section, so I hope you won't mind if I put it on here as a link (I'd like to think that I'm not the only numpty who can't navigate the site )

www.gransnet.com/recipes/dish/6551-Fruit-cake-no-added-sugar-no-fat

I'm glad it wasn't just me MiniMouse, perhaps GNHQ would like to make it a but more straightforward then perhaps we would use it more. There are some very tasty recipes there (when you eventually find the right section!)

I should have mentioned in the recipe that I sometimes add nuts as well which adds a nice chunky texture

I made mine last week! I always use the same basic recipe from "The Art Of Home Baking" a Stork margarine book that I sent for just after I got married 43 years ago. Since moving to Italy I have to adapt it slightly as all the ingredients aren't easily available here. I "feed" it with brandy regularly too!!

I've just finished baking 15 Christmas cakes for friends and relatives. Over the years people have put in requests for me to do their cakes for them and the list gets longer every year. I always use Delia's recipe from her Christmas book but I never buy the fruit separately. I just buy economy mixed fruit and make sure the total weight of fruit is the same as her recipe.
Soaking the fruit in brandy ( Aldi's is good ) helps considerably. I also don't over mix- turning the fruit over into the batter in a big bowl seems to make the cake mix itself - no need to beat the living day lights out of it. smile
One big change I make to the recipe is the cooking time. I find in my fan oven(at 140) it only takes 3 hrs to bake .
It's become quite an enjoyable ritual and doesn't take as long as you'd think especially if you bake in batches. Yum .smile

I have a fan oven and it doesn't take as long as the recipe, and I also have to cover it lightly with baking paper after about 2.5 hours.

15 cakes - just putting off making 2!

Yes, soak the fruit in brandy! However, if you do not drink alcohol you could probably use apple juice.

yogogran, The fruit cake sounds good I would like the recipe thanks.

I will once again be doing Grandmanorm's recipe from www.gransnet.com/recipes/dish/5718-Christmas-cake-recipe

A proper Christmas cake. No modern nonsense.

I didn't mean there was any "nonsense" in other recipes on here!

What is the Delia cake? A lot of you seem rather keen on it. Is it on the internet? I would like to try it.

Delia Smith's recipe. I think she is online now:
www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/how-to-make-a-christmas-cake.html

I think it is the same as the one in her recipe book.
I have seen the ingredients for sale in a box in Waitrose for a couple of Christmases (without eggs and butter of course - add your own). I bought two boxes the first year as they were going for half price and it saved all the weighing out and leftover packets of stuff which you may never use. The fruit is already pre-soaked in brandy.

Here is the Home and Freezer magazine recipe for mince pies. I found it on the Moneysaver Expert forum (googled)

"my best mince pie pastry came from the Home and Freezer Digest (there are lots of OS fans of these booklets)

Makes about 30 mince pies
4 oz butter
4 oz marge
1 oz lard (trex will be fine)
1 lb SR flor
1 egg - separated
milk to mix

Either rub the fats and flour together or give them a wizz in a processor
Add the egg yolk and enough milk to mix to a firm dough
Shape into a block then chill for ages, overnight is good.
Roll and use as you want to. Use the egg white to glaze
The pastry will freeze raw or freeze the finished mince pies - Delias mincemeat is the only mincemeat worthy of this pastry"

I forgot - the box may not be for sale as Waitrose dropped Delia in favour of that renowned cook Pippa Middleton! Has Pippa published her Christmas cake recipe yet this year:

'My recipe for the following rich fruit cake, topped with marzipan and icing and decorated with snowmen, santas and fir trees (artificial, of course) would be especially suitable for the time of year we celebrate as Christmas. Christmas Day will fall on 25th December this year.'