Fruitcake My Take On Alton Browns Recipes

FRUIT CAKE FOR CHRISTMAS

Steps:

• At least a day before, soak the raisins, the rest of the dried fruit, the crystallized ginger and the zests in golden rum. You can do this in a zip top bag if you want. Shake the bag occasionally.
• When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F and then dump the contents of the zip top bag, including any liquid, into a 3 1/2 quart sauce pan (or similar size. Don't go buy a new pan).
• Add the sugar, butter, juice, and spices (The Beloved grinds the cloves, allspice, pepper and salt together with a mortar and pestle. He wanted me to tell you that) and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 30-45 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and baking powder into the fruit mixture, combining it quickly with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the eggs thoroughly, one at a time.
• Pour/scrape the batter into your prepared pan, smooth the top and press on the optional pecans (in a design or not).
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You're looking for an internal temperature of 200F. This will take about an hour or a bit longer, so test at a hour and go from there.
• Remove cake from oven and liberally brush the top with brandy.
• Once the cake has cooled completely, turn it out of the pan and put it in an airtight container. Brush or spray it well with brandy every 2 or 3 days and let it age for at least 2 weeks or up to pretty much forever.
• Enjoy toasted and spread with cream cheese as we do. So delicious!

FREE RANGE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
• Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
• When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

FREE RANGE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the dried fruits, both zests, and the candied ginger in a plastic storage container. Add the rum, cover, and macerate overnight at room temperature.
• The next day, load up a coffee/spice grinder or spice mill with the cloves, allspice, and cinnamon and grind to a fine powder.
• Add the spices, along with the macerated fruit and its liquid to a large saucepan. Add the sugar, butter, apple juice, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (At this point, you can either complete the batter or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, which is what I usually do.)
• Place oven racks in the center and bottom of the oven. Place a roasting pan on the bottom rack and fill halfway with warm water. Crank the oven to 325ºF.
• Put the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a sifter and sift onto the cooled fruit mixture in the saucepan, bringing the batter together as quickly as possible with a large wooden spoon. One at a time, stir in the eggs. Finally, fold in the pecans.
• Spoon the resulting goo into a 10-inch nonstick loaf pan and bake until the interior temperature hits 200°F, about 1 hour.
• Remove to a wire rack or trivet. Spritz the top with brandy and cool completely. Wrap the cake in a few layers of cheesecloth, spritz with more brandy, and stash in a tin or any other airtight, food-safe containment vessel.
• Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and, if dry, spritz with more brandy. The cake's flavor and texture will enhance considerably over the next 2 weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.