Fruitcake That Doesn't Suck - Ultimate Food Geek & Friends
Ben Starr, the Ultimate Food Geek, rescues you from the scourge of that most wretched of holiday abominations...the dreaded Fruitcake. Together with friends Chip & Jenni, he reinvents this foul, nefarious offense to the palate in a format that is not only palatable, but delightful!
All my favorite kitchen toys:
The kitchen scale I used both at my restaurant and at home: (You can spend less on a kitchen scale, but this one is perpetually accurate, easy to clean, and doesn't take weird batteries.)
Precut parchment liners -
8 rounds for cake pans:
9 rounds for cake pans:
In a large saucepan, add:
1 pound (454g) dried fruit (in the video I use equal weights golden raisins, cranberries, sour cherries, and figs, but ANY combo of dried fruits will work, chop up fruits that are larger than a raisin)
5.7oz (162g or 1/2 cup) molasses (the 3.7oz in the video is incorrect)
1 Tbsp instant coffee
2 sticks (8oz or 227g) unsalted butter
1 cup (8 fl oz or 237mL) booze (whiskey, bourbon, brandy, rum, Port, Marsala, red wine, dark beer, etc....or use any fruit juice)
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 1 hour until room temp, or overnight, covered.
Into the pot, add:
2 eggs
4.1oz (116g or 1/2 cup) buttermilk (sub milk in a pinch, but it's not as good)
4oz (113g or 1/2 cup) white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
3oz (85g or about 1 cup) toasted, crushed nuts (optional)
Stir until complete incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine:
8oz (227g or 1 2/3 c) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp fine or table salt)
1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, cardamom
1/2 tsp each clove and nutmeg
Stir until well mixed, then add to pot with wet ingredients and stir until fully mixed. Scrape into a greased baking sheet lined with parchment.
(Recipe bakes well in a deep 8 cake pan, a standard 9 cake round, or multiple mini loaf pans. I highly recommend lining the bottom of ANY baking vessel with parchment, in addition to greasing the sides.)
Bake on the center rack of a preheated 320F (160C) oven. For round cakes, check at 75 mins. For smaller loaf pans, check at 45 mins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or the top springs back when gently pressed.
Cool fully in pan, then remove and rest 24 hours before serving.
(NOTE: I am an Amazon associate and if you buy something from one of my links, I may get a few cents. Thankya!!)
Amish Friendship Cake Starter
Amish Cake/Bread Starter
1 Cup flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
Mix all together
Day 1 is the day you mix these ingredients together. Stir days 2-4. Day 5 add each ingredient again. Stir days 6-10. On day 10 divide starter into freezer bags putting one cup in each bag. Save about 1/3 cup of starter to add to your next starter.
Brandied Fruit Gifts for the Holidays
Brandied Fruit Gifts for the Holidays
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Jill
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