CHRISTMAS COOKING

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 284, 1 December 1944, Page 24

CHRISTMAS COOKING

OST people find that by dint of saving up butter in various little ways, they can make just one good Christmas. cake. Other fruit cakes, less rich, but still fruity and tasty, are then useful for more ordinary occasions, and recipes for these are always in demand. The idea is to have these things made in advance so that there is always something in reserve during the holidays, when one does not want to take time for baking. Good Christmas Cake This is.a good reliable recipe — a favourite ever since the Daisy Chain first started at 1ZR in Auckland. It is most fortunate that we are able, at this time, to buy the packets of mixed cake fruits, all cleaned and ready for use. Many people are sending these packets to friends in Great Britain. Half-pound butter, 5 eggs, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 10o0z. flour, 12 teaspoon each of following seven essences-van-illa, lemon, pineapple, brandy, cherry, almond, and any other flavouring at all, I#lb. sugar, 2lb. fruit, 4% to 42 teaspoon curry powder. Prepare fruit, and sprinkle with flour. Put in a warm place while creaming butter and sugar. Also have flour sifted ready, and in a warm place. When butter and sugar are nicely creamed, add eggs one at a time, and sprinkle in a little flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Now add curry powder, then fruit and. flour alternately, baking powder last. Quickly turn mixture into well-greased tin, and bake in a moderate oven for about 342 hours; oven 300 degrees to begin, and after the first 34 hour, the heat may be lowered. Wholemeal Christmas Cake Half a pound each of butter, raw or brown sugar, sultanas, currants and raisins (or you may use 144lb. of the mixed packaged fruit), pinch of salt, 2oz. peel, 2 eggs, 242 breakfast cups wholemeal (fine), %2 heaped teaspoon baking soda, % pint hot milk. Beat butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Put the soda in the hot milk. Sift wholemeal, and mix it with fruit. Add milk and wholemeal little by little alternately to first mixture till all is mixed in well. Bake from three to five hours-regulo at 3 for first 4% hour, then 2 for 1 hour, then 1 for remainder of cooking. Two level teaspoons of curry powder added to this recipe has the same effect as brandy, and gives the cake a delicious flavour. Fruit Custard Cake This is a very well-established oe ourite, and keeps well. It must, however, be kept for a week before cutting. Half-pound of butter, ilb. raisins, 1lb. currants, 20z. cherries, 1lb. sultanas, 141b. mixed peel (or 344lb. mixed, packaged fruit), 1lb. 2oz. flour, 2 eggs, 2° teaspoons baking powder, essences to taste, ¥% pint milk, lb. brown. sugar, 1 tea-» spoon mixed spices. Rub butter into flour, sift in all other ingredients, add sugar and fruit. Boil

milk, pour on beaten eggs to make custard, then pour over the other ingredients, and mix. Cook 3 hours as usual. Steamed Fruit Cake The flavour of this is excellent, and different from the usual baked cake. The mixture is cooked in a round tin, not more than two-thirds full, with a greased paper placed over the top and tied tightly round the sides to prevent steam or water getting in. Place this in the steamer, and shut lid down very tightly. Keep the water boiling briskly all the time, adding more if it boils away. Steam the cake for 314 hours, and then bake in a moderate oven for ¥ hour. Here is the mixture:-Half a pound each of flour, brown sugar and butter, 21b. mixed fruit, 42 teaspoon mixed spice, 4% teaspoon nutmeg, 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder, 5 eggs, and (if desired) % cup brandy (if not, use brandy essence, or a mixture of almond and vanilla). Mince the fruit. Cream the butter first, then beat in the sugar, then add the well-beaten yolks of eggs. Now add the fruit, peel, spice and almonds, then sifted flour and baking powder. As each ingredient is added, mix very well. Lastly, fold in lightly the beaten whites, and add brandy if desired. Cook as above. Fruit Cake with Marmalade Six Ounces butter, 1 egg, well beaten, 1lb. mixed fruit, 3 tablespoons marmalade, 60z, sugar, 1lb. flour, 1 teaspoon carbonate of soda dissolved in a little milk, about ¥% pint of milk. Cream butter and sugar, add egg, then soda, ‘marmalade, then fruit and flour alternately. Then add sufficient milk to make a nice mixture. Bake in a moderate oven about 3 hours,