Boatyard Gin Christmas Cake
Boatyard Gin Christmas Cake
Makes 1 9inch Cake
Ingredients 200g butter 200g soft brown sugar 150g raisins 150g sultanas 150g currants 100g apricots 100g mixed peel 100g glace red cherries 1 lemon zest and juice 1 orange zest and juice 260g plain flour 5 eggs ½ tsp nutmeg, grated ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp mixed spice 125g flaked almonds 5 tbsp boatyard gin 450g white marzipan 500g ready to roll fondant icing 3 tbsp apricot jam, smooth Cornflour, for dusting
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas 2. 2. Prepare a 9 inch/23 cm round cake tin by lining with 1 layer of greaseproof paper extending 2 inches over top of the tin. 3. In a large bowl place the raisins, sultanas, currants, apricots, mixed peel, cherries, lemon an orange zest & juice and 5tbsp of gin. Mix thoroughly and cover the bowl with a tea towel or clingfilm and leave for 24 hours. 4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs and sieved flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and mixed spice. Beat until well mixed. Mix in the soaked fruit and the flaked almonds and mix well. 5. Put the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth with the back of a spoon leaving a light hollow in the centre as the cake will rise. 6. Bake the cake for 2-2 ½ hours. Protect the top of cake from over-browning by covering with brown paper for the last ½ hour of baking. As oven temperatures can vary, check the cake after 1 ½ hour. Test by inserting a small skewer into the centre of the cake – when it comes out dry the cake is ready. 7. Cool the cake in the tin overnight. Then turn it out and remove the paper. Using a skewer, make about small holes in the cake and pour the remaining whiskey over it. Wrap the cake in 2 sheets of greaseproof paper and then cover with a lay of foil. Store in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place to mature for at least two weeks or up to two months before applying the icing. 8. About a week before the cake is required, melt your apricot jam, bush the cake and cover with the marzipan. Roll out the ready to roll icing on a clean work surface dusted with cornflour to a circle larger than your cake. Again brush the cake with the apricot jam (this will help stick the icing to the marzipan) Position on top of the marzipan, then smooth and neaten the edges. Decorate to how you would like. Finish the cake with come ribbon.
Tip If your oven tends to run at a high heat, tie a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin. Easy Winter Trifle
Winter Berry Trifle
Serves 8
Ingredients
500g pack frozen mixed berries, we used summer berry mix, defrosted
150g red cherry jam
300-350g Madeira cake, cut into roughly 3cm cubes
500ml tub custard
250g tub mascarpone
5 tbsp caster sugar
400ml double cream
3 tbsp sherry berries, grated chocolate to decorate
Method..
Mix the berries and cherry jam together, and spoon into your trifle bowl. Scatter over the Madeira cake and push down a little into the berries.
Put the custard, mascarpone and 3 tbsp sugar in a bowl together and beat until smooth, then dollop all over the trifle. Put the double cream, remaining 2 tbsp sugar and sherry in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Cling film both the trifle bowl and cream and chill until ready to serve. You can do this up to 24 hours in advance.
To serve, spoon the sherry cream all over the trifle, then scatter with your favourite decoration.
Mulled Wine
Mulled Wine
Serves 12
Ingredients
1 large oranges
3 lemons
12 cloves
2 x 750ml bottles red wine
2 cinnamon sticks
150g/5½oz brown sugar
Port, to taste (optional)
Method:
Carefully peel the zest very thinly from the orange and lemons using a vegetable peeler. Squeeze out the juice and reserve.
Pour the wine, 1.2 litres/2 pints of cold water, and the citrus peel and juices into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture just to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, cover the pan with the lid, and continue to simmer for about 1 hour.
Stir in the sugar gradually during cooking, until the mulled wine is sweetened to your liking (you may not need all of the sugar). Add in your port if you so wish.
Strain the mulled wine and serve hot in cups.
Carrot Cake
Serves 12
Ingredients
175g light soft brown sugar
3 free-range eggs
150ml Rapeseed oil
200g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
75g walnuts, roughly chopped, plus extra to decorate
1 lemon, zest only
110g sultanas
25g dried cranberries For the icing
250g mascarpone
250ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 lemon, juice only
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C/370F/Gas 5.
For the cake, lightly grease a 26cm/10in round cake tin 6 1/2cm / 2 1/2in deep and line the base with baking parchment.
Using an electric whisk, whisk the sugar, eggs and olive oil together in a large bowl for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
Sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl, tipping in the grains left in the sieve. Stir in gently.
Fold the grated carrots, walnuts, lemon zest, sultanas and dried cranberries into the mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 40-45 minutes. The cake should be well risen and feel firm and springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out quite clean. If not, cook for a little longer before testing again.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for five minutes in the tin.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For the icing, place all of the icing ingredients into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Cover the bowl with cling film and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours, until you are ready to ice the cake.
When the cake is completely cold, spread the icing over the top of the cake. Slice the cake and serve.
Black Forest Gâteau
Serves 8
For the chocolate cake 340g golden caster sugar 340g unsalted butter 6 eggs 240g self-raising flour, sifted 100g cocoa
For the filling 2 cans black cherries in syrup 2 tbsp kirsch
To decorate 600ml double cream 200g good quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces 300 dark chocolate rolls 100g fresh cherries, pitted
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin then line the tin with greaseproof paper. For the cake, place butter and sugar in a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then fold in the flour and the cocoa powder.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth the surface with a knife and bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes until firm and springy.
To test if the cake is done, insert a clean skewer into the middle of the cake – if it comes out clean then the cake is ready. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Drain the cherries, reserving 200ml (7 fl oz) of the cherry syrup. Add the kirsch to the reserved syrup.
Use a large serrated knife to slice the cake horizontally into three equally sized rounds.
Place each round on a chopping board and spoon the cherry syrup evenly over each disc and leave to soak in.
For the chocolate icing, heat 200ml (7 fl oz) of the double cream to scalding point then add the chocolate pieces. Remove from the heat and stir gently until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator, to thicken slightly.
Whip the remaining double cream until thick. Spread one of the cake discs with half of the cream then cover with half of the cherries, pressing them in lightly. Top with the second disc of sponge and repeat this process, finishing with the third disc left plain on top. Gently press the whole cake together with the palms of your hands.
Remove the chocolate icing from the fridge and give it a quick stir. Use a palette knife to thickly spread the top and sides of the cake with the icing. Next place the chocolate rolls one by one around the side of the cake, after this you can pipe some cream and finish with cherries on top. Leave the cake to set in a cool place then slice into large wedges and serve.
Guinness Chocolate Cake
Serves 12
Cake Ingredients
250 g unsalted butter 250 ml Guinness 70 g cocoa powder 270 g plain flour, sifted 2 tsp baking soda 400 g caster sugar 2 medium eggs 150 ml sour cream 1 tbsp. good quality vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients 300 g cream cheese 150 g icing sugar 150 ml cream, whipped
Method
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Add butter, cocoa and Guinness to a saucepan. Warm over a medium heat and stir until melted. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Add flour, baking soda and sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix together well. Pour in the Guinness/cocoa/butter mixture, lightly combine, add the vanilla, eggs and sour cream and beat everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick and dark chocolate in color.
Pour into a greased and lined 10″ cake tin and cook in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.*Note: This cake is very moist inside, so use your judgment regarding the skewer test. Do not leave in the oven until the cake has totally dried out — cook long enough so there is no uncooked cake on the skewer but there may be a few moist crumbs sticking to it after an hour of cooking.
Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the cake tin and placing on a wire wrack to cool completely.
Frosting Instructions
Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a mixer and beat on a low-medium speed using a whisk attachment Whisk until the cheese is smooth and there are no big lumps remaining.
Gradually, using a large spoon, add in the icing sugar and beat gently to combine. After 2 to 3 minutes, stop the machine, scrape any excess frosting from the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed until lump free.
Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream, mixing to fully combine.
Place cooled cake on a cake stand and add the frosting, spreading out just to the edge without going over the side. The idea is to capture the essence and simplicity of a pint of Guinness. Pancakes
Ingredients
3 large eggs
115g plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
140ml milk
A pinch of salt
Method
First separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. Add the flour, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold into the batter – it is now ready to use.
Heat a good non-stick pan on a medium heat. Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and fi rm.
Loosen the bottom side with a spatula and flip the pancake over.
Continue frying until both sides are golden.
Now serve with lemon and sugar or maple syrup. Christmas Pudding
Serves 9-10
Ingredients
110g shredded suet 50g self-raising flour, sifted 110g white breadcrumbs 1 tsp mixed spice 1⁄2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 pinch ground cinnamon 225g dark brown sugar 110g sultanas 110g raisins 275g currants 25g mixed candied peel, 25g almonds 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped 1⁄2 large oranges, grated zest 1⁄2 large lemons, grated zest 2 tbsp rum 150 ml stout 2 large eggs
Method
Begin the day before you want to steam the pudding. Take your largest, mixing bowl and start by putting in the suet, sifted flour and breadcrumbs, spices and sugar.
Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel and nuts followed by the apple and the grated orange and lemon zests Now in a smaller bowl measure out the rum and stout, then add the eggs and beat these thoroughly together.
Next pour this over all the other ingredients, and begin to mix very thoroughly. The mixture should have a fairly sloppy consistency – that is, it should fall instantly from the spoon when this is tapped on the side of the bowl. If you think it needs a bit more liquid add a spot more stout.
Cover the bowl and leave overnight.
Next day pack the mixture into the lightly greased basin, cover it with a double sheet of baking parchment and a sheet of foil and tie it securely with string. It’s also a good idea to tie a piece of string across the top to make a handle.
Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 8 hours. Do make sure you keep a regular eye on the water underneath and top it up with boiling water from the kettle from time to time.
When the pudding is steamed let it get quite cold, then remove the steam papers and foil and replace them with some fresh ones, again making a string handle for easier manoeuvring.
Slow Roasted Peaches
Serves 6
Ingredients
250g caster sugar 3 tbsp water 250ml fresh orange juice 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out 100g flaked almonds 6 peaches 50g unsalted butter, room temperature
How to Make
Place 150g of the sugar into a heavy-based pan with the water. Heat gently until the sugar has completely melted and formed a clear syrup. Turn up the heat and cook for about five minutes, or until the mixture turns a light caramel colour.
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the orange juice – be careful it will splutter.
Add the vanilla seeds to the caramel and stir. Set aside and allow cooling and thickening slightly, then stirring in the flaked almonds.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
Using a blowtorch, blacken the peach skins all over, and then peel of the skin by rubbing with a clean cloth.
Brush the peaches liberally with the butter using a pastry brush, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Place the peaches into a small roasting tin and spoon the caramel over them. Transfer to the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, basting the peaches with the pan juices from time to time.
Remove from the oven, and turn the peaches over then return to the oven for ten minutes, or until the peaches are softened but still retain their shape.
Remove the tin from the oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to cool – this helps the juices to gather in the bottom of the tin.
To serve, place the peaches onto serving plates and drizzle over the caramel sauce from the roasting tin. Chocolate Truffles
Makes 15 Truffles
Ingredients:
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 175ml double cream 4 tbsp brandy or rum 200g cocoa powder for rolling the truffles in
How to Make:
Tip the chocolate pieces into a bowl.
Pour the cream into a pan and bring to the boil.
Pour over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted and add the brandy or rum in at this point.
Place the chocolate mixture into the fridge to set – this will take about 11⁄2 hours.
Once set take out of the fridge, using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop out bite-sized pieces. Dust your hands with cocoa powder to stop them sticking and roll the pieces into balls.
Roll in cocoa powder and place them on the prepared tray.
Once they are set you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.