Fruitcake
After years of avoiding those radioactive cherries and incredibly dry supermarket loaves, I made the conscious decision to bake a fruitcake myself to see if it has anything going for it. It wasn’t until last year, when I developed a liking for mincemeat, that I realized that fruitcake had the potential to be something extraordinary. If you like spices, nuts, dried fruits, citrus zest and alcohol, fruitcake should be right up your alley, and I love all of those things!
Needless to say, I get now why this would have become a tradition. Aside the fact that it’ll stay preserved for ages if you keep mopping it with alcohol, and preservation is a big part of any tradition, it’s just… well, it’s just so tasty. And alcoholic. It’s very alcoholic. (hic) It’s amazing to me how much Brandy a cup of currants alone can absorb if just given enough time. There’s a whopping four cups of Brandy-rehydrated dried fruit in this recipe and it has absolutely no raw alcohol bite, but nearly an ounce of Brandy per slice. By the time it’s ready for Christmas, God willing, it’ll be closer to two. Two seems like just enough holiday spirit. So, Santa’s in for a special treat this year… I just hope the reindeer can find their own way home.
- 2 cups currants
- 2 cups other dried fruit (prunes, apricots, cranberries, etc.)
- 2 oranges, zested
- 1/4 cup grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Brandy
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 cup unfiltered apple juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
- Extra Brandy for “basting”
- Combine all the dried fruit, orange zest, ginger, vanilla and Brandy in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight so that the fruit absorbs all of the Brandy.
- In a large pot, combine the rehydrated ingredients, sugar, butter, apple juice and spices, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and allow to simmer, then cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees with one rack in the lowest position and the other in the middle. On the bottom rack, place an ovenproof dish filled with boiling water to keep the oven environment moist.
- Once the mixture has cooled, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder, then sift into the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon, then incorporate the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Fold in the pecans, then transfer the mixture to a greased and floured or nonstick 10″ loaf pan or four smaller loaf pans.
- Place the loaf pan(s) on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven until firm and a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean, about 1 hour.
- Remove the loaves from the oven, lightly brush the tops with Brandy and allow to cool completely before carefully running a knife along the outside of the pan to help dislodge them. Keep in an airtight container in a cool environment, moistening every few days with Brandy until it’s as smashing as you desire it to be. Alternatively, eat now, because it’s still delicious that way too.
This recipe is heavily based on Alton Brown’s Free Range Fruitcake