The house is full of warm spicy fruity smells now and feels truly festive. I know from your emails that everyone is busy and the days of December seem to go faster than ever. There never seems to be enough time, but I found that settling down to make some cakes was very calming and enjoyable.
I have made lots of christmas cakes as gifts for my family. I can't be with them over the holiday so I wanted to send them something homemade.
I have made two different types of cake this year. One is a traditional cake bursting with plump black raisins, cherries and candied orange peel simmered in a robust red wine with molasses sugar, cinammon sticks and other spices. They have lots of local walnuts added later. This one is soaked in Cointreau.
The other cake is crammed with dried apricots, pineapple, blonde raisins, candied lemon and zest with lots of stem ginger simmered in cider with soft brown sugar and some powdered mace. This is soaked with homemade lemon liqueur before wrapping.
I didn't have enough tins but the large ones that 'Confit de Canard' is packed in are perfect.
As I daren't leave the kitchen while they are cooking (I never hear the timer and they need checking fairly regularly) so I passed the time making the clementine clove pomanders to add to wreaths to hang indoors. They dry quickly in the heat of the woodburning stove and release even more citrusy spicy aromas.
I have made lots of christmas cakes as gifts for my family. I can't be with them over the holiday so I wanted to send them something homemade.
I have made two different types of cake this year. One is a traditional cake bursting with plump black raisins, cherries and candied orange peel simmered in a robust red wine with molasses sugar, cinammon sticks and other spices. They have lots of local walnuts added later. This one is soaked in Cointreau.
The other cake is crammed with dried apricots, pineapple, blonde raisins, candied lemon and zest with lots of stem ginger simmered in cider with soft brown sugar and some powdered mace. This is soaked with homemade lemon liqueur before wrapping.
I didn't have enough tins but the large ones that 'Confit de Canard' is packed in are perfect.
As I daren't leave the kitchen while they are cooking (I never hear the timer and they need checking fairly regularly) so I passed the time making the clementine clove pomanders to add to wreaths to hang indoors. They dry quickly in the heat of the woodburning stove and release even more citrusy spicy aromas.
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