Fruit cakes and Farriery
Oct. 24th, 2007 10:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoActually, farriery first. John was here today and did everyone's manicure for us. No problems found, yay! Tess was on her very best behavior, too. I never would have believed that she could be so well behaved and cooperative, but she is now. It seems that our really big mistake was tying her. If I stand and hold her lead, she's a perfect lady. The worst she does is lick and nibble at my shirt pockets. No kicking, no pulling her feet away, no leaning on John. Of course this means she gets done in record time, which even she must appreciate.
A discussion on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
shadow_stallion's journal got into the topic of fruitcakes. Yes, I know, it's fashionable to hate them, but I happen to really like home made ones. Ultimately I promised to share my mother's and grandmother's recipes, neither of which bears any resemblance to the commercially produced and marketed "sticky bricks" that are so often sold or given as gifts in the US.
Gale’s Dark Fruit Cake
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. shortening (butter or margarine)
1 c. dark Karo corn syrup
l/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 lb. dark raisins
1 lb. mixed candied fruit
1/2 lb. chopped dates
1/4 lb. chopped nuts
Sift together 2 c. of the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Cream sugar with shortening, beat in milk, syrup, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix remaining 1 c. flour with fruit and nuts. When fruit is well coated with flour, stir into batter. Spread in greased and floured bread pans, and bake at 275°F. for about two hours or until done.
Cool before slicing, or wrap in cheesecloth soaked in brandy, rum, or fruit juice and store in a cool place for a week or two before serving.
Grace’s White fruit Cake
1 lb. butter [don’t use margarine, it isn’t the same]
2 c. white sugar
10 eggs [!]
1 jar candied fruit pieces
1/2 lb. white raisins
1/2 lb. chopped dates
1/2 lb. chopped nuts
4 c. flour
1/3 c. fruit juice (pineapple or orange is good)
Cream butter with sugar (butter may be reduced to 3/4 lb. if desired, but the flavor isn’t as rich.) Beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly to coat the fruit. Blend into the egg and shortening batter and divide into greased and floured pans. Small bread pans work well. Bake at 275°F. for three hours (or until done.) Cool on rack before slicing.
A discussion on
shadow_stallion's journal got into the topic of fruitcakes. Yes, I know, it's fashionable to hate them, but I happen to really like home made ones. Ultimately I promised to share my mother's and grandmother's recipes, neither of which bears any resemblance to the commercially produced and marketed "sticky bricks" that are so often sold or given as gifts in the US.Gale’s Dark Fruit Cake
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. shortening (butter or margarine)
1 c. dark Karo corn syrup
l/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 lb. dark raisins
1 lb. mixed candied fruit
1/2 lb. chopped dates
1/4 lb. chopped nuts
Sift together 2 c. of the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Cream sugar with shortening, beat in milk, syrup, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix remaining 1 c. flour with fruit and nuts. When fruit is well coated with flour, stir into batter. Spread in greased and floured bread pans, and bake at 275°F. for about two hours or until done.
Cool before slicing, or wrap in cheesecloth soaked in brandy, rum, or fruit juice and store in a cool place for a week or two before serving.
Grace’s White fruit Cake
1 lb. butter [don’t use margarine, it isn’t the same]
2 c. white sugar
10 eggs [!]
1 jar candied fruit pieces
1/2 lb. white raisins
1/2 lb. chopped dates
1/2 lb. chopped nuts
4 c. flour
1/3 c. fruit juice (pineapple or orange is good)
Cream butter with sugar (butter may be reduced to 3/4 lb. if desired, but the flavor isn’t as rich.) Beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly to coat the fruit. Blend into the egg and shortening batter and divide into greased and floured pans. Small bread pans work well. Bake at 275°F. for three hours (or until done.) Cool on rack before slicing.
