Christmas Recipes

Okay Recipes it is, seeing as I don't have time to cook it would seem appropriate!!

For the next 25 days you will get a recipe from somewhere around the world relevant to this time of year some traditional Christmas Fare, some not so traditional for us, but for someone and in line with my God/universe/whatever you believe in philosophy - some from left of the Western Christmas field.

But we will start with traditional Christmas Cake

But whose? Australian, Middle Eastern, Asian ? This may take more than one recipe folks!!

So heres mine - think it is an old Australian Womens Weekly Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (500g) sultanas
½ cup (100g) glacé cherries
1½ cups (250g) raisins chopped coarsely
1½ cups (115g) seeded dates, chopped coarsely
½ cup (125g) glacé apricots, chopped coarsely
½ cup (125g) glacé pineapple, chopped coarsely
¼ cup (85g) orange marmalade
¾ cup (180ml) Grand Marnier (or brandy or rum or all three!!!! and some for the cook)
250g butter, softened
¾ cup (165g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 eggs (duck eggs if you can get them)
2 cups (300g) plain flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 cup (160g) roasted almonds, chopped coarsely
¼ cup (60ml) Grand Marnier ( or rum or brandy and more for the cook!!!!)

METHOD
Combine fruit, marmalade and liqueur in large bowl; mix well, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store mixture in cool, dark place overnight or up to a week, stirring every day.Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced. Line base and sides of deep 19cm-square cake pan with two layers of brown and two layers of baking paper, bringing paper 5cm above sides. Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until just combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Add the butter mixture to fruit mixture; mix well. Stir in sifted flour and spice, then nuts. Spread mixture into pan. Bake about 3 hours. Brush top of cake with extra liqueur. Cover hot cake tightly with foil, turn cake upside down; cool in pan.

Off to research a recipe for tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy your day

daisymum