And of course you're making it on cue. The saying goes, Christmas puddings and cakes should be made on Melbourne Cup Day.
I made plum puddings once many years ago but the cloth in which they hung went moldy in the bathroom. I've never tried again since. Hopefully your fruitcake will far better
Take it from an old hand (albeit a little out of practice): open the large bottle on the left and take a good slug. Repeat at intervals during the process.
I am almost inspired to follow your lead this year. We shall see.
carefully pour some brandy through it. Pour about 60mls into a small cup or shot glass, then using a teaspoon, dribble about 1/2 the brandy into the cake, and drink the rest yourself.
Elisabeth, make your puddings again but wrap and boil them in cellophane and they will never go mouldy. The cellophane gets tougher the longer it boils but the only downside is that you don't get the floury outside on the pudding.
Deborah, I look forward to the singing. M-S, aren't the coins for p uddings, or do you put them in cake as well? DD, OF COURSE I'm going to drink some of it; perhaps I will buy another bottle. Librarygirl, I have a special affinity with pav for reasons I hope are obvious. Fred, see brandy remarks above. Elisabeth, I have never made a plum pudding but was the bathroom wise? -- surely a dry place would be the go? (JahTeh, v useful tip.) MH, really it is Deborah's lead and we are but her followers. SL, such faith! We hope to be worthy.
Next instalment will involve the soaking of fruit in brandy (settle down, DD) and my search through the food-and-cookbook shelves for instructions on proper cake decoration.
Please feel free to write long(ish) comments if you have long comments to make. Off-topic comments will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and deleted if they derail the discussion. Hostile or malicious comments will be deleted regardless.
I hope it sings to you, gloriously.
ReplyDeleteas HelenGarner might have said instead of the bed clause ...
ReplyDelete"making up a Christmas cake for guests is such a privilege"
(don't forget to boil the little silver coins)
You'll be rewarded on the day.
I hope you're not planning on using that whole bottle in the cake.
ReplyDeleteI made pavlova and sausage rolls for the first time this year. Christmas cake - sounds hard.
ReplyDeleteThe secret of a moist cake is the regular basting with LOTS of brandy once the cake has been baked.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course you're making it on cue. The saying goes, Christmas puddings and cakes should be made on Melbourne Cup Day.
ReplyDeleteI made plum puddings once many years ago but the cloth in which they hung went moldy in the bathroom. I've never tried again since. Hopefully your fruitcake will far better
Take it from an old hand (albeit a little out of practice): open the large bottle on the left and take a good slug. Repeat at intervals during the process.
ReplyDeleteI am almost inspired to follow your lead this year. We shall see.
From the instructions for my grandmother's cake:
ReplyDeletecarefully pour some brandy through it. Pour about 60mls into a small cup or shot glass, then using a teaspoon, dribble about 1/2 the brandy into the cake, and drink the rest yourself.
Elisabeth, make your puddings again but wrap and boil them in cellophane and they will never go mouldy. The cellophane gets tougher the longer it boils but the only downside is that you don't get the floury outside on the pudding.
ReplyDeleteYou will excel, of this I have no doubt.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, I look forward to the singing. M-S, aren't the coins for p uddings, or do you put them in cake as well? DD, OF COURSE I'm going to drink some of it; perhaps I will buy another bottle. Librarygirl, I have a special affinity with pav for reasons I hope are obvious. Fred, see brandy remarks above. Elisabeth, I have never made a plum pudding but was the bathroom wise? -- surely a dry place would be the go? (JahTeh, v useful tip.) MH, really it is Deborah's lead and we are but her followers. SL, such faith! We hope to be worthy.
ReplyDeleteNext instalment will involve the soaking of fruit in brandy (settle down, DD) and my search through the food-and-cookbook shelves for instructions on proper cake decoration.
WV: fingsook