[mikelm]

It's that season again, and I offer a family recipe that will fix you up for the next five or six years, plus a source for the best fruits/nuts available in North America.

Here we go...

GLACEED CANDIED FRUITS

CHERRIES - 1/2 red, 1/2 green 2.25 lb keep a couple dozen whole for decoration, rest cut in half

PINEAPPLE 1.50 lb

LEMON PEEL .50 lb

ORANGE PEEL 1.00 lb

CITRON 1.00 lb

total candied fruits 6.25 lb

DRIED FRUITS

APRICOTS (California, please) 1.00 lb keep a few whole for decoration,, rest cut in half

PEACHES .50 lb

RAISINS 1.00 lb

CURRANTS .75 lb

FIGS 1.00 lb Keep a few whole; cut rest in 1/2" cubes

DATES 1.00 lb decorations whole; rest in thirds

total dried fruits 4.75 lb

TOTAL FRUITS 11.00 POUNDS

To save all the cutting. you can pulse everything (not the decorations) briefly in a food processor.

Stir all the fruits and nuts into the rum, cover, let stand overnight.

BATTER this is a very dark, minimal batter- just enough to hold the fruit together

FLOUR 6.0 cup

BUTTER 1.5 cup

SUGAR- DARK BROWN 1.5 cup

HONEY .5 cup

MOLASSES - BLACKSTRAP 1.0 cup

EGGS 15

SALT 3 tsp

BAKING POWDER 3 tsp

ALLSPICE 3 tsp

NUTMEG 1 tsp

CLOVES ground 1.5 tsp

CINNAMON ground 1.0 TBS

MACE 0.2 tsp

CARDAMOM 0.25 tsp

FRUIT JUICE fresh-squeezed orange 18 TBS

RUM yesssss 2.25 cups

liquids total 3.33 cups

DIRECTIONS

Dredge the fruit (not the decorations ones) with 3/4 cup of the flour. Cream shortening with sugar, add honey and molasses. Stir in beaten eggs, beat until smooth.

Stir remaining flour with the other dry ingredients (pulse 3-5 times in food processor.) Add this and fruit juice and mix thoroughly.

Pour batter over floured fruit and mix thoroughly until all fruit in covered with batter.

For a big cake, line baking pan with THREE layers of wax paper, extending 1/2" above top of pan. Pour batter into pan - do NOT flatten it. Decorate top of cake with reserved fruits and nuts. (This is not, actually, a California recipe.)

Bake for four hours in a 250 oven with a pan of water- the water gives a high gloss and nice texture to the cake.

The Collin Street Bakery (America's preeminent maker of fruitcakes) gives the cake a brushing of apricot glaze. Add water to the jam to give a brushing consistency. Actually, I dilute with Vermouth or brandy, but that's just me.

For smaller cakes, spray aluminium-foil "Baby Loaf Pans" well with non-stick spray, fill with batter - don't flatten the batter. This cake does not rise, so pans can be filled almost to the top. Baking time will be less than for a bigger cake- use the clean-toothpick test.

This recipe makes 16 to 18 such smaller cakes. Do not leave them in the tins- they will deteriorate over time; remove from the cake pans, pour a good splash of your alcoholic beverage of choice, wrap tightly in multi layers of plastic wrap and they will keep very well for - from personal experience - at least up to five years, They need to be re-moistened every six months or so, and just leave them in a closet until the fruitcake bug bites!

If you like candied fruit in a minimal, dark batter, this is the recipe for you!

For the best candied fruits and fabulous nuts, consult the website of HOUSTON PECAN COMPANY. All their stuff is just wonderful. We've used their stuff for years.

As somebody says.... Hoppy Cookeeng!!

Mike

 

[pete]

No nuts?

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

@MikeLM What size pans are you using for the "small" as well as the "Big" cakes?

I LOVE fruitcake! The kind with beautiful, dark, dense cake, the old fashion type.

 

[mikelm]

K-girl...

I really think this is the one you're looking for. The aluminum cake tins are a standard size- as I recall, about 5" wide by 8" long and 4" deep.

If you do the whole recipe you will get about 14 of them. From my experience they will last at least 5 years if you can restrain your family that long. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif They need to be moistened with bourbon, brandy, or sherry.

Actually, I use all three. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif

Mike /img/vbsmilies/smilies/chef.gif

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

okay, so like a loaf pan for the "small" size then.

but what about for a "Big" cake?

 

[mikelm]

I'm sorry, K-girl...

I've always used the small cake tins.  I really don't know what size large pan would be appropriate.

I am  completely confident it will be the best  will  be best FRUITcake you have ever had, especially if you go HOUSTON PECAN COMPANY for your fruits and nuts supplies 

just use a few of their pecan halves to decorate the top of the cakes for a nice crunch.

It will b a wonderful Christmas/New Years treat for the whole family. The only problem will be getting enough from the kids for you.

SERIUOSLY  this is wirth a try, ans it will become your familr'y

 

[pete]

Both you and the recipe keep mentioning nuts, but I don't see any nuts listed in the ingredients.

 

[mikelm]

Sorry for the inconsistency, Pete-

They seem to have dropped off the recipe over the years.  I'm not that keen about nuts anyway.  If you want them, I would suggest 

English walnut halves as decorations.  Maybe some almonds in the fruit mix.

Trust me- the recipe is just delicious as it stands.  

MIke

 

[flipflopgirl]

Never even heard of The Texas Pecan Co and I live only 30 - 40 min away.
So.
Checked out the site and was so impressed with the prices ($2 pp for RAISINS ) that I promptly made an order before I woke up from the dream!
Plus the fisherman can pick up the order on way home from work!!!!!!
No tax...no shipping....great prices......
Win/Win/Win !!!!!!

This round's on me. :level: :beer:

mimi

 

[chefbuba]

My mother lives in the hill country outside of Austin. There are pecan trees in her development, a friend gives her loads of them........Some of them are supposed to make their way to me next week/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

 

[pete]

My mother lives in the hill country outside of Austin. There are pecan trees in her development, a friend gives her loads of them........Some of them are supposed to make their way to me next week/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

A number of years ago a pecan farmer from Texas was driving through and stopped at the restaurant where I worked. It was slow and I ended up talking to the guy for awhile. After his lunch he ran out to his truck and brought me a 10# bag of pecans. They were the best, sweetest pecans I ever had. Kind of spoiled me because now all other pecans are just pale comparisons

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

SOOOOOO, I'm still trying to understand what is a "Big" pan?

I get the "small" as loaf pans but...

 

[flipflopgirl]

My mother lives in the hill country outside of Austin. There are pecan trees in her development, a friend gives her loads of them........Some of them are supposed to make their way to me next week/img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

A number of years ago a pecan farmer from Texas was driving through and stopped at the restaurant where I worked. It was slow and I ended up talking to the guy for awhile. After his lunch he ran out to his truck and brought me a 10# bag of pecans. They were the best, sweetest pecans I ever had. Kind of spoiled me because now all other pecans are just pale comparisons

Considering the current price for nuts @chefbuba , you have had an early Christmas lol.

Nothing like pecans from Texas @Pete .

So meaty and sweet.

I toast a few picked bushels and then freeze.

Nice to not have to stop and toast everytime I want to add a handful to something.

We have a couple of huge trees in the backyard.

One makes those small hard to crack natives and the other the larger papershell. variety.

We take what we want and then let the neighbors have the rest.

mimi

 

[brianshaw]

...

Nothing like pecans from Texas @Pete .

...

Except, perhaps, pecans from South Georgia. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif

But back on topic... I seem to switch between pecans and walnuts in fruitcake, just like I seem to switch between bourbon and cognac.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Eh.

I will give GA the peaches but retain bragging rights for Texas brisket and pecans /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif.

mimi