Paul Beasley’s recipe for festive fruit cake
Nothing heralds Christmas time quite like the festive fare that we’ll all be scoffing. From pigs in blankets and roasted chestnuts, to the richest of this season’s sweet treats – our time-tested traditional Christmas recipes are already being put to good use. Here’s one that Paul made earlier!
Ingredients
- 225g currants
- 80g sultanas
- 80g raisins
- 25g mixed candied peel
- 60ml brandy
- 120g plain flour
- A large pinch of nutmeg and mixed spice
- 110g soft dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 dessert spoon of black treacle
- 110g softened butter
- 25g chopped almonds
- ½ lemon zest
- ½ orange zest
METHOD
Soak the dried fruit and candied peel in the brandy overnight.
Preheat the oven to 140°c / gas 1.
Place the flour, spices, sugar, eggs, treacle and butter in a bowl and beat until smooth.
Fold in the brandy soaked fruit, almonds, and lemon and orange zest.
Pour into a lined cake tin, cover with baking parchment and bake for 3-4 hours until cooked through.
Decorate with icing or whole almonds,
Or, create your very own Christmas pudding truffles, as served in our festive afternoon tea!
CHRISTMAS PUDDING TRUFFLES
To make your white chocolate and Bailey’s cream you will need:
- 225g white chocolate
- 40ml Bailey’s
- 20ml double cream
Place all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time. Once melted all together, place in the fridge to set.
Top Tip: If the cream splits don’t panic. Add a splash of cold water to it and keep stirring to bring it back.
- You will need a set of rubber dome moulds which can be purchased online to assemble the truffles.
- Take small pieces of the cooked fruit cake (see above) and push into the moulds to fill so that they’re nice and level on top.
- Place in the freezer to set for about half an hour.
- Once set, take out of the freezer and scoop out a little bit of the middle (we won’t judge you if you eat it!) and pipe your white chocolate cream into it.
- Carefully unmould them and put together to form a ball.
- Carefully melt down some white chocolate and drizzle over the top of your truffles with a piping bag to imitate icing.
- Finally, decorate with a redcurrant and small mint leaf on top.
_______
Feeling lazy? Head to the Water’s Edge restaurant to try our festive afternoon tea – please call 01326 312440 to book your table.
If you try out our recipe, be sure to take pictures of your results with the hashtag #greenbankbites for a chance to be featured.
