Golden Amaretti Christmas Cake Recipes

GOLDEN AMARETTI CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the orange and squeeze the juice (about 120ml/1 cup) into a large bowl. Snip the apricots into small pieces with scissors, then add the dried fruit and the marsala. Cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, rub a little of the butter around the inside of a 20cm round, deep cake tin, then line the base and sides with a double layer of parchment. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Put 200g of the biscuits in a large food bag, squish out the air, then bash the biscuits to fine crumbs. It doesn't matter if there are a few nuggets left.
• Put the remaining butter and the sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 mins or until paler and creamy.
• Mix in the eggs, one by one. Sift in the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and 1 /4 tsp salt. Tip in the crumbs and beat together for a few seconds until evenly mixed.
• Fold in the soaked fruit and almonds with a spatula.
• Scrape the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Level the top and make a saucer-sized dimple in the middle of the batter. This will help your cake to rise evenly.
• Bake for 2 hrs, then turn the oven down to 140C/fan 120C/ gas 1. Cover the cake with foil and bake for another 1 hr 30 mins or until risen and dark golden brown.
• Check the cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick into the middle. It will come out dry when the cake is ready. Set on a cooling rack and leave for a few hours.
• Using the cocktail stick, poke deep holes all over the cake. Slowly drizzle 2 tbsp marsala or sherry over the cake.
• When completely cold, wrap the cake in clean baking parchment and store in a tin in a cool, dark place. Feed it every seven to 10 days until you are ready to decorate it.
• Unwrap the cake and put it on a flat plate or board (25cm or bigger). Brush a thin layer of apricot glaze over the cake.
• Sift a little of the royal icing sugar onto your work surface. Unwrap the marzipan and knead it with your hands until it feels softer.
• Sprinkle the marzipan with more sugar and roll it to an even circle about 35cm across.
• Lift the marzipan over the cake, smooth it down to the board, then trim with a knife. Don't cut too close to the cake at first. You can smooth the icing with a jam jar or tumbler, then trim again if you need to
• Spray the marzipan lightly with the gold spray. Spread the almonds out onto some baking parchment and spray these heavily.
• Break four of the remaining 50g biscuits into nuggets using your fingers.
• Mix the royal icing sugar with 4 tsp cold water. It should be thick but run very slowly when you drop it from the spoon. Spoon it over the cake and spread it to the edges, letting it drip here and there. Use a palette knife to help.
• Put the whole biscuits on the cake first, then add the broken biscuits and the almonds in-between.
• Put 1 tsp icing sugar in a fine sieve and shake a snowy dusting over the cake. Scatter the cake with the sugar balls, snowflakes or sprinkles, then leave the icing to set.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE WITH AMARETTI COOKIE CRUMBS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat to 350. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the interior with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.
• To make the cake: Put the almonds, amaretti, sugar, cocoa and salt into a food processor, and process in short spurts, until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Add the butter and eggs, and process, scraping the bowl occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is homogeneous. Add the melted chocolate a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Scrape the bowl, and then pour the batter into the pan. Standing back (to avoid being showered by cocoa powder), rap the pan against the counter a few times, to break the largest bubbles in the batter.
• Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out streaky; the top of the cake will look dry and perhaps cracked. If the top has erupted in a couple of places - it happens - use a spatula to press down the bumps as best as you can. Let the cake rest on a rack for 15 minutes.
• Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the paper and turn right side up; cool to room temperature.
• When you're ready to glaze the cake, place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil - the drip-catcher.
• To make the glaze: Put the chocolate in a heatproof measuring cup with a spout or in a bowl. Bring the cream, sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan (or do this in the microwave). Pour the cream over the chocolate, and stir gently until you have a smooth glaze.
• Pour the glaze over the cake, and use an offset spatula or knife to spread it over the top. Sprinkle over the crushed amaretti. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the glaze (which will always be soft). Serve the cake slightly chilled or at room temperature (my preference).

AMARETTO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, instant vanilla pudding, water, oil, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons of the amaretto; blend together well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and while it is still warm, poke holes in the surface. Drizzle with the Amaretto Glaze, insuring that some of the glaze fills the holes. Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours before removing from the pan.
• To make Amaretto Glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar, and combine it with the remaining 1/2 cup amaretto. Blend until smooth. You may add more amaretto as needed.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

MINI CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray mini cupcake pans with the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange zest and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer mini cakes to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick spray and refrigerate.
• In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine the almonds and cookies, and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl. Add the butter, sugar, and orange zest to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time. Add the nut mixture and the melted chocolate. Pulse until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sift the cocoa powder over, and serve.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray.
• Refrigerate.
• Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor.
• Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground.
• Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl.
• Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
• Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated.
• Add the eggs 1 at a time.
• Blend until the eggs are incorporated.
• Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again.
• Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate.
• Pulse until blended.
• Clean the sides of the bowl.
• Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter.
• Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE (RACHEL ALLEN)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
• Line the base of a 20cm-diameter springform tin with greaseproof paper and butter the sides.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Place the amaretti biscuits, almonds, sugar and orange zest in a food processor, then whizz until the biscuits and almonds are almost finely ground .(not too fine).
• Add the butter and eggs, whizz until blended, then add the melted chocolate and briefly whizz again until well combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and pop straight in the oven.
• Cook for 35-45 minutes until the cake is puffed and slightly cracked around the edges.( test with a skewer after 35 minutes, it should come out clean)
• Remove and leave to sit for 15 minutes before carefully transferring to a plate.
• The top is quite crisp, and cracks easily, dust it with lots of icing sugar or cocoa powder before serving, to hide any imperfections.