Elitetwigs English Golden Christmas Cake Recipes

ELITETWIG'S FIRST TIME GUIDE TO ICE A CHRISTMAS CAKE.

Steps:

• If you have thawed your Christmas Cake please de-thaw prior to using this guide. If you have your Christmas Cake ready -- Let's go.
• Warm Apricot Jam through until it sightly bubbles. Either on the hob or in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Set this aside.
• Dust surface with a little icing sugar.
• Roll out marzipan, dusting now and then, to desired size enough to cover cake top and sides.
• Brush Cake with Apricot Jam, this ensures marzipan will stick.
• Lift onto rolling pin and smooth out over cake, so it sticks to cake.
• Trim excess.
• Wrap Cake in clingfilm and leave for marzipan to harden for 2 days. Please store in a dry cool place.
• 2 DAYS LATER.
• Remove clingfilm, and brush marzipan surface with water.
• Prepare royal icing as described in steps 3, 4 and 6, 7.
• With excess icing roll into a ball and create a whole in the centre add drop of yellow food colouring and work the icing, dusting with icing sugar to prevent sticking.
• Once the icing has a consistent light yellow colour, roll out icing to a 1/2 cm thickness all over.
• Take a star shape cookie cutter (or any other shape you prefer) and cut as many stars as you can, re roll icing if more stars needed.
• Brush the back of the stars with water (not too much just enough to stick) and arrange on cake.
• At edges press stars down and trim any excess such as points that go over the edge.
• Once all stars have been placed, leave cake for 24hours so icing can harden.
• Dada! On professionally looking Christmas Cake! Well Done!

HOT LITTLE CHRISTMAS CAKES

Steps:

• Grease and flour 4 small ramekins and set aside. Tip all the ingredients, except the berries and cherries, into a large jug or bowl. Using a hand blender, blend until completely combined, then stir in the dried fruit. Chill cake mix until needed.
• Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Divide the mix between the ramekins and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden. Tip the cakes out onto plates, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with honey.

GOLDEN JEWELLED CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 20cm greased cake tin with a double layer of baking paper. Preheat oven to 150c.
• Chop apricots, quarter cherries, chop candied peel.Mix together with the brandy.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar using a hand held mixer, or a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
• Beat eggs in a jug add to the creamed mixture a little at a time , beating well after each addition. Don't worry if it curdles, the cake wont be affected.
• Add the zests and juice, then the soaked fruit and liquid. Chop nuts then stir in .
• Set a sieve over the bowl , tip flour, cinnamon and ginger and sift into bowl.
• Tip in the ground almonds, then fold everything in using a large spoon.There should be no trace of flour.
• Spoon cake mix into the prepared tin, press down lightly and smooth. Bake 45minutes- 1 hour, reduce heat to 120C and bake a further 1-2 hours until golden brown and firm to the touch and has stopped making a hissing sound ( singing). A skewer should come out clean.
• Wrap in baking paper and foil for up to 3 months or freeze for 1 year.
• Feeding the cake: make several holes in it and spoon 2 tbsp of brandy at weekly intervals until ready to ice.

ENGLISH ECCLES CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Thoroughly grease a large baking sheet.
• 2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in currants, fruit peel, white sugar, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until sugar is dissolved and fruit is coated. Remove from heat.
• 3. Roll out thawed pastry on a clean, lightly-floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut out eight circles, each roughly 5 inches in diameter; set aside remaining pastry dough for use in other recipes. Divide currant mixture evenly between circles, then moisten edges of pastries with a little bit of milk, fold together, and pinch to seal.
• 4. Turn pastries upside down onto floured surface and carefully roll out to make a wider and flatter pastry. Be careful not to break the dough.
• 5. Brush cakes with beaten egg, then sprinkle with white sugar. Make three parallel cuts across the top of each cake, then place on greased baking sheet.
• 6. Bake pastries in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with a little more sugar, then serve.