Easy Recipes Cakes & Desserts - 1

Follow these Simple Steps to make and cook your own Christmas Cake

Ingredients

1lb raisins
1lb sultanas
6oz glace cherries
14oz plain flour
' teaspoon mixed spice
pinch of salt
10oz butter
10oz soft brown sugar
grated zest of orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
5-6 eggs, beaten
3oz ground almonds
2 tablespoons brandy
4oz apricot jam
1'lb marzipan
For the Icing
4 egg whites
2lb icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons glycerine

Method

Wash and dry all the fruit the day before you make the cake. The next day preheat the oven to 170'C/300'F/gas mark 3. Grease and line an 8inch square cake tin, using a double thickness of greaseproof paper. Tie a band of double thickness greaseproof paper round the outside of the tin. Sift the flour and mixed spice into a bowl with the salt. In a separate bowl, cream the sugar, butter orange and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs gradually, beating well. Gradually fold the flour lightly into the mixture with a metal spoon, then fold in the ground almonds. Then fold in the fruit. Turn the mixture into the tin, spreading it evenly and make a hollow in the centre. Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the oven to 130'C/250'F/gas mark 1 and bake for a further 3 hours.

Leave the cake to cool, then remove the lining paper, prick the bottom of the cake with a fork and pour the brandy into the cake. Put the apricot jam into a pan with 2 tablespoons of water and heat gently until the jam melts. Bring it to the boil and simmer for 1 minute, then rub it through a sieve. Brush the warm jam over the sides of the cake. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out two thirds of the marzipan and use it to cover the sides of the cake. Smooth the joins with a palette knife and trim the top and bottom edges so they are square. Brush the top of the cake with the jam (reheat jam if necessary). Roll out the remaining marzipan and use to cover the top of the cake. Leave it to dry for 4-5 days before icing the cake

To Decorate

To make the icing, whisk the egg whites in a bowl until frothy, then sift in one quarter of the icing sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon. Gradually add more of the sugar, beating well after each addition, until about three quarters of the sugar is added. Add the lemon juice and beat until the icing is smooth, then beat in the rest of the icing sugar. Stir in the glycerine, cover and leave for 24 hours before icing the cake. Spread two thirds of the icing on the top and sides of the cake, using a palette knife. Leave the first layer of icing for 24 hours. Spoon the remaining icing on the top of the previous layer, then pull the icing into peaks, using a palette knife or the back of a teaspoon. Leave to dry for 24 hours.

Follow these Simple Steps to make and cook your own Rich Christmas Pudding

Ingredients

4oz self raising flour
pinch of salt
' teaspoon grated nutmeg
' teaspoon mixed spice
3oz shredded suet
4oz raisins
4oz sultanas
4oz currants
4oz soft brown sugar
2oz mixed peel
grated rind of ' lemon
2 tablespoons of brandy

Method

Mix together the dry ingredients, add the egg and brandy and mix well. Grease a 1 litre pudding basin, place a small round of greaseproof paper in the bottom to prevent sticking. Place the mixture in the basin, cover with greaseproof paper and foil. Steam for 10 hours, store in a cool dry place. When required, steam for 2 hours before using.

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