Being as both Mr Aqui and I don't drink, can you suggest a good alternative to Christmas cake and CHristmas pudding without any booze in it?
I'm definitely making a yule log (chocoholic that I am), but beyond that I'm stumped! (pun intended!)
Nope ;D ;D ;D ;D
One point though -just how much alcohol is there in a Xmas cake? I know my mum 'feeds' hers for months beforehand -but you're going to cook it and alcohol evaporates at a bit under 80 deg C- will there be any left?
Same for the pudding -as long as you don't flame it, and white sauce rather than brandy butter.
Otherwise how about german Stollen -I don't think this has to have booze in? Nor does Xmas cake, really.
Aren't their some brandy flavourings? (Yes, it's called Armagnac ::) )
Jeremy
My mum tends to pour lots of booze over her cake (I've already had to refuse the cake). We don't want anything booze flavoured either. Mum's Christmas pud also seems to get me a bit drunk!
Stollen - ooh yes - yummy. Anyone got a recipe?
I made stollen for the mother in law last year so I will dig out the recipes. Was a palava as I recall though.
As for booze, what about making a dundee cake instead of a traditional Christmas cake and just omit the whiskey.
Ingredients
8oz Flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
6 oz Butter
5oz Caster/granulated sugar
(optional - 2 tablespoons whisky)
1.5oz mixed peel
6oz each of currants, raisins, sultanas (seedless white raisins)
4 Eggs
Grated rind and juice of lemon
1oz Blanched almonds (to be used as decoration)
2 tablespoons boiled milk and 1 tablespoon sugar
Method
Mix to a fine cream, the butter and sugar in a bowl. When it is white and creamy, slowly add the four eggs (one at a time), plus a spoonful of flour at the same time as each of the eggs. Beat the mixture well all the time. Stir in the nuts and fruits.
Add the rest of the flour, (sifted with the baking powder) and the whisky (if this is to be added). Make sure the mixture is stirred well and if it is too stiff, add a little milk.
Place mixture in an 8-inch greased and lined cake tin. Flatten the top and cover with foil or greaseproof paper and bake at 325F (170C) or gas mark 3 for two hours. Approximately halfway through the cooking time, take off the foil and arrange the split almonds in concentric circles on the top of the cake. Check the cake with a skewer towards the end of cooking. The cake should be dry all the way through - if it is still moist in the middle (most commonly), put it back in the oven until it meets this criteria.
5/10 minutes before cooking is finished, brush the top with the sweetened milk to create a dry glaze. Keep in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out on a wired tray. Eat soon after or store in an airtight container.
I love dundee cake more than chrissy cake - slightly lighter, and I adore almonds!
And what about a Clootie dumpling instead of Christmas pudding.
Scottish Recipes - Clootie (or Clooty) Dumpling.
Traditionally this is a rich pudding made for the festive season. However, it is now available all year round in many restaurants and eateries.
Ingredients
4 oz Self raising flour
2oz white bread crumbs
1 egg
4 fl oz Milk (full cream)
3oz Shredded Suet
3 oz Sultanas
3oz Currants
2oz soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
Half oz mixed spice
Method
Grease a pudding bowl (3 pint or slightly larger). Mix all the DRY ingredients into a large bowl. Then stir in the egg, followed by the syrup and milk to make a soft conistency. Fill the bowl with the mixture, leaving plenty of room for the pudding to swell. Cover with a layer of greasproof paper, buttered on both sides. Seal the bowl with on the top with kitchen foil. Place on a heatproof plate in a large saucepan. Fill the pan with water halfway up the side. Cover and simmer for two hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary. Turn out onto the large plate. Allow to cool slightly and serve with whipped cream.
If you are feeling brave (or simply traditional) Instead of using the bowl to cook th emixture in, after mixing it place to mixture in a large cloth, tied to make a pouch and boil in that. This should allow a nice "skin" (which should be eaten) to form.
Somewhere I have seen and "ice Cream" Christmas pud! Full of chopped fruits etc. Would be no good flamed though..............................
Thanks for those Emma. My mouth is watering!
Years of argument between ex and myself go into this! (I maintain the alcohol gets cooked off, but ex disagreed)
Cold strong tea (especially a tea with orange flavour?) instead of the alcohol in any Xmas cake recipe? Worked for the cake - but not the argument :)
All best - Gavin
PS I have long since lost contact with the "merchant" who "bought" the orange peels form the juice squeezers in Dakar, Senegal - and sold them on to the European tea merchants! ;)
What a neat way of money for nothing!
How about a chocolate mudcake with ganache icing - death by chocolate ;D
;DOr a good old fashioned fruit cake iced. You don't have to add the brandy, I think thats for preserving or lighting.
Just spotted on an ad that Tescos are selling an alcohol and nut-free Xmas Pud - one of the ten in their range.
Might be useful if you run out of cooking time!
"Golden Christmas Pudding" from Good Food Dec 1999. Very light and yummy - the cream is alcoholic but am sure you can sort out a non-alcoholic version.
serves 10-12, cooking 3 hours
3 tbsp golden syrup
227g can pineapple rings, drained and chopped
grated zest of 1 large orange
50g toasted flaked almonds
50g dried cranberries
50g dried apricots, chopped
50g raisins
100g freshly grated carrot
175g butter, softened
175g dark muscovado sugar
3 eggs
175g SR Flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
1) butter a 1.7litre or 3 pint pudding basin and spoon in syrup. Put a quarter of the chopped pineapple, a little of the orange zest, a few of the flaked almonds and a quarter of the cranberries in the bottom of the bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the pineapple, orange zest, almonds, cranberries, apricots and carrot.
2) beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. (5 mins by hand, 2 mins with a mixer) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well, then fold in the flour cinnamon and breadcrumbs.
3) Stir in the fruit and carrot mixture then spoon into the pudding basin and level the top. Butter a piece of greaseproof and fold a pleat in the middle. Put it over the pudding and secure tightly with string. Cover with a pleated piece of foil and tuck the ends under the string.
4) Steam the pudding in a pan of boiling water, making sure the water only comes a third of the way up the bowl. Steam for 3 hours ( check the water level every 30 mins and top up with more boiling water as necessary) Or microwave the pudding, covered very loosely with microwave film, instead of the greaseproof paper and foil, on medium for 20 mins.
5) remove the pudding from the heat and remove the foil and paper and leave to cool for 5 mins. Run a knife round the sides of the pud and invert on to a warm plate. Serve with orange cream.
the recipe for orange cream is as follows:
Grated zest of 1 orange
icing sugar (see method)
2Tbsp Grand Marnier
400 ml creme fraiche or double cream lightly whipped
Add the zest, icing sugar and grand Marnier to the creme fraiche or whipped cream. If you use creme fraiche, use 4 tablespoons of sugar, just 2 if using cream.
Serve with the pud.
Here is a recipe for stollen which is meant for the bread machine but no doubt you could adapt it to make by hand
1 cup of milk warm
3 tablespoons of honey
yolk of 2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of salt
freshley grated zest of one lemon
5 tablespoons of butter melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
3 cups of white bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
25g currants
50g sultanas
50g golden raisins
25g mixed candied peel
25g glace cherries rinsed, dried and coarsley chopped
25g blanched almonds chopped
300g marzipan
icing sugar for dusting
Place the first 9 ingreediants in the pan. set the program to DOUGH. When the machine indicates add currants, sultanas, raisins,candied peel, cherries and almonds. At the end of the cycle transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 mins. Divide in half. Roll one piece into an oblong measuring approx 28x18 cm (11x7inches). Shape 1/2 marzipan into a sausage shape that is not quite as long as the dough. Fold the long edges over so the marzipan is enclosed. Press the edges together to seal them then place on a lightly greased and floured baking tray, Repeat with remaining dough and marzipan. Loosely cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/GM6. when the dough has doubled in size remove tea towel and bake for 20 - 25 mins until stollen is golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Liberally dust with icing sugar before serving
Just used the last of my stollen to make a trifle for pudding tomorrow. Ava loves trifle, with lashings of sherry, no jelly, allotment raspberries and gallons of floppy cream! :P
Bit late now - sorry, it was a last-minute idea, which worked :-)
Summer pudding - couldn't use our own frozen fruit this year, but would usually.
Want something a little different? Aha - make your own bread; try an Orange and Almond bread in the bread maker [1 cup milk, 1 beaten egg, 4 tbsp melted butter, 5 tbsp caster sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 cups white bread flour, grated rind of 1 large orange, 1 1/2 tsp yeast; chuck in the maker on its basic programme, and add 1 cup flaked almonds when it beeps]
Just something I tried - it worked, and is a keeper for the family Xmas next year!
All best - Gavin