Creole Christmas Fruitcake with Whiskey Sauce
Simple Syrup:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
strips of zest of 2 lemons, about 3 tablespoons
juice of 2 lemons, about 1/4 cup
Cake:
1 pound of a combination of dried fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries,
cherries, raisins, and chopped apricots
1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces almond paste
8 large eggs
1 cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup slivered blanched almonds
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup bourbon
Whiskey Sauce
Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size
heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lemon zest and juice and
bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 2 minutes and remove
from the heat.
Combine the dried fruits together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the simply syrup
over them, toss to coat, and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the
syrup.
Cream the butter, sugar, and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric
mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides
of the bowl. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add
the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition on low speed and
scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add 1/2 cup of the Grand
Marnier and mix to incorporate.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-size
mixing bowl and blend well. Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter
mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2
minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be
thick.
Add the warm fruit and all the nuts a little at a time, mixing well. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease twelve 1-pound loaf pans. Spoon about 1 cup of batter into each
pan. Bake until golden and the tops spring back when touched, about 45 minutes
(rearranging them after 25 minutes if necessary to brown evenly).
Cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove cakes from the pans and cool completely
on wire racks.
Wrap each cake in a layer of cheesecloth. Store in plastic storage bags until
they are slightly stale, 3 to 4 days.
Combine the reserved simple syrup with the remaining 1/2 cup Grand Marnier and
the bourbon. Without removing the cheesecloth, make tiny holes with a toothpick
randomly on the top of each cake. Pour 2 tablespoons of the syrup over the top
of each cake once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used. Let the
cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating.
For Serving: Warm the Whiskey Sauce and serve with slices of fruitcake.
Makes 12 cakes
Whiskey Sauce:
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine 2-3/4 cups of the cream with the bourbon and sugar in a medium-size
nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup cream. Add
this to the cream-and-bourbon mixture and simmer stirring often, until the
mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm with the
fruitcake.
The sauce may be stored, after it has cooled, in an airtight container for 24
hours. When ready to serve, warm over low heat.
Makes 3 cups.
-
Now you can have a huge leap forward in email: get the new Yahoo! Mail.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAKE-RECIPE/
* Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
* To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAKE-RECIPE/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
* To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
