Event Recap How to Make Your Christmas Fruitcake

[GWarren]

That's the thing. There are so many variations you can do

 

[Jeff Westover]

What's the "right" kind of fruitcake?

 

[GWarren]

Preference really. I like a moist fruitcake with a good crumb. Not too dry and not too boozy

 

[Jeff Westover]

My experience was a dark cake with embedded fruit of some unidentifiable source. Not exactly spongey like cake, but kind of hard and...smelly

 

[PamelaG]

Sorry I'm late joining in - fruitcake lover here, grew up in England so it's not Christmas without fruitcake. I know my UK family and friends start making theirs about October, keeping the cheesecloth well "brandied".

 

[GWarren]

If you use a lighter sugar, you'll get a lighter flavour

 

[Jeff Westover]

A lighter sugar...white sugar?

 

[GWarren]

Pamela, do you put marzipan on yours?

 

[PamelaG]

Light brown sugar, muscovado if you can get it.

 

[GWarren]

Jeff, yes, dark fruitcakes use molasses or treacle

 

[Jeff Westover]

ok

 

[PamelaG]

Marizipan? Sometimes. Fruitcake, covered in warmed apricot jam, then marzipan, and then royal icing.

 

[Jeff Westover]

I'll bet the one I had was with molasses

 

[GWarren]

The commercial ones don't hold a candle to homemade

 

[Jeff Westover]

It might be interesting to see how your recipe differs from Pamela's

 

[GWarren]

Although a bit more affordable if you're the only one eating it

 

[PamelaG]

I've got my UK pals searching high and low for the fruitcake decorations. Frilled collar for the outside and the little Christmas scene on top - Santa, tree. Probably vintage now and hard to find. Another thing I wish I'd purchased before I left the UK. Would love to plan a shopping trip around Christmas time to see if I can find these things.

 

[GWarren]

Couldn't you use a paper lace

 

[GWarren]

Or a cut up paper doily?

 

[PamelaG]

Yes, I could but it's the nostalgia side of me that wants the one I grew up with! I can craft, need to work on making my own.