We’ve had a lot of requests for the Christmas Cake recipe Jackie French described during her Good Tucker segment while I was filling-in for Chris Smith on radio 2GB and MTR.
So here it is:
(Yes, the ingredients are expensive, but trust me- this cake is better than caviar and probably better than any food you can buy. Everyone deserves to eat this cake at least once in their adult lives. NB: you can also make the apple version for the kids, but it is a sophisticated cake, and more suited to adults. )
2 – 4 cups crystalised peaches, finely chopped (can also use crystalised apricots or pineapple or pear
1 cup crystalised cherries, chopped
1 cup sultanas
1 cup currants
2 cups whisky (or very good non alcoholic apple cider, peach juice or ginger cordial)
1 cup sliced almonds
125 gm butter
3 eggs
2 tb golden syrup
half a cup brown sugar
1 level tb instant coffee
1 heaped tb cocoa
3 tb jam or marmalade (I use peach or plum jam; use marmalade if you like a citrus flavour)
1 cup plain flour
1 cup SR flour
Extra
1 cup peeled almonds
Method:
Place fruit in a large bowl. Cover with whisky. Leave overnight or up to three days, securely covered. No need to leave it in the fridge, just make sure the cat can’t get to it. Or the dog. Or the kids.
Line a large tin or several small tins (I use a thick souffle dish, and sometimes make small cakes in thick coffee mugs as gifts) with three layers of baking paper.
Smooth the top of the cake. Press in the whole almonds in an attractive pattern.
Place a thick newspaper in a baking dish. Pour enough water over the paper and dish to wet the paper and leave a finger width of water above it.
Take a saucepan. Melt the butter; stir in the sugar, syrup, coffee and cocoa.
Now mix the eggs into the fruit; add the flours and the butter mix.
Scoop into the tin or tins.
Place tin/ other containers on the wet paper.
Place in an oven at 120 C and bake till the top is firm when you touch it with your finger. This may take 3-4 hours- the smaller the tin, and the shallower, the less time it will take.
DONT HURRY IT- the slow cooking is needed to give a rich flavour and also so that the whisky loses it’s raw burn. The cooking should also evaporate the alcohol from the cake.
If the paper turns dry add another cup of water. You need this water to stop the top of the cake drying out before the inside is cooked, and the layers of papers to stop the sides and bottom of the cake drying out too.
let the cake cool in the tin. It should last for at least six months if well wrapped in alfoil or greased paper in a cool place but is very unlikely to- few can resist several slices.
It’s the best gift I know- and superb for bushwalking or picnics.
Related posts:
Can you ask where one can buy the crystallised fruit mentioned in the recipe? I have been to many shops and rung more trying to find these key ingredients. It is proving near on impossible.
I am based in Melbourne.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Bill,
Ive put this out to listeners, and if you can’t get the crystalised fruit elswhere, the best place to try is a health food store.