Time Flies............

It's been a while. Life doesn't stop for anyone, or any blogger. Miss 3 year old is now in pre-school and I have joined the 'school run' traffic. The old car died a death and we had to get a new 'family wagon', the kind that is not so angry on the petrol but still fits mum, dad, kiddies, dogs, shopping and sundries!

I continue to bake, sew, knit (currently on a star project for Christmas, more another time) and preserve stuff. The garden continues to get away from me but at least some veggies are in and the fruit trees are blossoming.

The Guinea Fowl have grown into beautiful adults and are laying lots of petite eggs that are a lovely size for wee hands to cradle.

I have more wrinkles, from the smiles and laughter of course! and the weather is looking up - hurray!

I have just chopped up the dried fruit and it's soaking in homemade Quince Ratafia, for our Antipodean Christmas Fruit Cake and the plum and apple mincemeat (from the River Cottage Handbook No.2 Preserves) made at the end of the summer is out of the cupboard ready for the mince pies. The Biscotti, Pavlova and Plum and Orange steamed pudding are all last minute jobs.

The bits have been bought to make the Christmas crackers (Bon Bons) and I have pretty much got the presents done. So it's down to making the list and checking it more than twice for things to be made nearer to the day.

Just enough free time this morning, between kiddie wrangling and household chores, to make a fresh batch of shortbread.................in the shape of gingerbread men - just to get us in the spirit for what is to come, I love the festive season!

 

 

Antipodean/Down Under Christmas Cake

adapted from Cuisine 119:95

Fills a 20cm square cake tin

Make 6 weeks before Christmas and feed with brandy or such like each week

250g Papaya in lime juice (dried)
250g Apricots/Pineapple (dried)
250g mango (dried)
100g Cranberries (dried)
100g Razz Cherries (lovely raspberry infused dried cherries)
75g mixed peel
75g coarse peel chopped marmalade
75ml whisky/brandy/rum/port (I did use a little homemade Quince ratafia in the initial soaking stage, prior to cooking)

Make sure all the dried ingredients are cut up into smallish pieces

Place all of these ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Leave for a couple of days. Stir regularly.

Line the tin with 2 layers of baking paper and butter well. Line the outside of the tin with 4 or so sheets of damp newspaper and tie with string. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius.

Add orange and lemon zest (half and orange and half a lemon) and juices and 50g halved blanched almonds to the mixture. Stir.

1/2 tsp baking powder
250g flour
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
250g softened butter
250g softened brown sugar
4 free range eggs

Sift flour and baking powder and spices together.
Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar until thick and creamy.
Add eggs one at a time, add a little flour as needed.
Gently fold through rest of flour mixture.
Add fruit mixture and combine together.

Tip mix into prepared tin.
If not icing push some extra almonds onto the surface in a pattern.

Bake for about 2 hours - test with a skewer - cover with baking paper if necessary to stop burning/over browning.
Drizzle rum/brandy over cooling cake. Leave to cool in the tin.
Store in an airtight container wrapped in muslin.
Drizzle whte muslin with rum/brandy each week.

When serving brush with a little sieved, warmed marmalade if you like.