We've moved!
Blogspot is now the hotspot for my culinary chatter:
The Thorngrove Table
I'll upload some of the more popular posts (the cupcake posts, the medieval posts, the samphire post, etc) there when I get the time.
And to start it off on a high note, part 1 of 2 posts on my recent back garden kitchen-building adventure: Making an Earth Pizza Oven. 
Sorry for the interruption in eyecandy, but the host for my photos and website, Lycos Tripod, has gone into liquidation and all services have been terminated.
This means that until I find a new host, transfer my domain, re-upload all my pictures and pages, and THEN edit all my links, none of my photos will be showing.
ARRRGGGHHHHHHH! 
Bullfrog inspiration aside, a great deal of the fun of Christmas cakes
is icing it yourself. It isn't actually all that hard and there are
some good tutorials on the internet (or just ask your mum or gran!).
I heartily recommend Cook UK 's photo tutorial on how to ice a Christmas cake. It's in two steps, firstly: How to marzipan the cake
then
How to ice the cake with rolled icing They
also show you how to do it 'the traditional way', i.e. with an icing
sugar/water combo, but I can't say I've ever seen a Christmas cake done
using that type of icing myself.
 </a>
Measuring the cake for the two side pieces
I
used about 3 Tb of jam, one packet of marzipan (225gm) and one packet
of ready roll Royal Icing (450gm) on the cake. The above tutorial uses
about twice that amount and you can go thicker, but huge fan of
marzipan though I am, I find any thicker to be too sweet for me. With
those amounts you get a layer of marzipan aprox 2mm thick and a layer
of icing about 2-3mm thick. A layer of 4-5mm of pure sugar is enough
for anyone I think!
 </a>
The marzipan layer covering the cake
With
memories of last time's wobbly wording, I bought an icing stencil to
make the letters this year. I think they turned out pretty well, though
I must admit it took me as long to cut the words out and place them as
it did to actually ice the cake! About an hour and a quarter I guess.
Getting the letters so they were firm and crisp took a little trial and
error. It turned out the best way to do so was roll to the icing out
thinly (about 1.5 - 2mm), let it stand for a little while so the
'dough' had started to harden a little, and then cut the letters out of
it. The only other decoration (I like my cakes simple) consisted
of a plastic sprig of holly. I also bought some rather gorgeous white
pearlescent powder and covered the white of the cake with it.
Unfortunately it photographed horribly and came out looking grey, so
the last photo shows the cake before being powdered. You just have to
imagine it with a beautiful irridescent sheen to it. And yes, it tasted
as good as it looked!
One of the things which make Christmas Christmas for me is cake. Fruit cake, to be exact. When I was a child, every year Christmas dinner was finished off with a piece of heavy, decadently-rich and treacley fruit cake, the top guarded by a diabetes-inducing layer of jam, marzipan and a quarter inch of stiff white icing. The vast majority of fruit cakes you buy in the shops are either suety bricks of stodge, or dry bland offerings filled with tasteless fruit. I am firmly convinced the only fruit cake that truly deserves the appellation 'Christmas Cake' is one made at home with fresh ingredients, care and love.
The recipe my mother has used for years is one she says is originally from Good Housekeeping (my mother's cooking bible). It's served our family on special occasions for over 40 years - as Christmas cake, Wedding cake, Christening cake and Birthday cake. This is only the second time I've made it myself, and although one 'corner' crumbled a bit on me it has the right consistency, weight and divine fruity scent of my childhood, so I shall declare myself satisfied and look forward to consuming it at Christmas with my friends.
By rights this should be made early November (as mine was) so it can 'ripen' and you can add a thimbleful of brandy to it every couple of weeks. It's such a rich cake however, you can make it the week before and it still tastes wonderful.
Nevin Family Christmas/Wedding/Birthday Cake
1lb 14oz (850gm) mix of Sultanas, Raisins & Currants (omit the currants for a lighter tasting cake)
5oz (140gm) Glacé Cherries (red and/or green)
3oz (85gm) Mixed Peel
3oz (85gm) sliced or chipped Almonds
12oz (340gm) Plain Flour
½ tsp Mixed Spice
½ tsp ground Cinnamon
A pinch of Salt
10oz (285gm) Butter
10oz (285gm) Sugar
Grated rind of ½ Lemon
5 large Eggs
3 Tablespoons Brandy (optional)
7" square or 8" round Cake Tin/Silicon Bakeware
Baking Paper
Newspaper
Preparing the bakeware
If you are using a tin: Cut 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to cover the base with a small turnup. Cut a length of doubled-over greaseproof paper long enough to line the inside wall of the tin with a small overlap and secure with a small pin. Brush all with oil or melted butter. At the same time prepare a length of doubled-over (or 2 sheets) brown paper to wrap around the outside and extend approximately 3 inches above the sides of the tin. Prepare a piece of brown paper to cover the top of the cake. Another double sheet of brown paper or newspaper should be placed underneath the tin when it is put on the shelf in the oven. This will prevent burning the fruit.
If you are using silicon bakeware: Prepare a length of doubled-over (or 2 sheets) brown paper to wrap around the outside and extend approximately 3 inches above the sides of the tin. Prepare a piece of brown paper to cover the top of the cake. Another double sheet of brown paper or newspaper should be placed underneath the tin when it is put on the shelf in the oven. This will prevent burning the fruit.
Making the cake
- Make sure the fruit is clean and then mix (excluding lemon rind) into the flour, salt and spices.
- Cream the butter and sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, a little at a time, and beat well after each addition.
- Fold in ½ the flour and fruit to the creamed mixture with a tablespoon. Mix well. Fold in remaining flour and fruit and if you use brandy add it at this stage. Mix well.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin pushing it into any corners and making sure there are no air pockets. Working from the centre raise the level of the cake’s surface so that the sides are higher than the centre.
Cake mixture spooned into the bakeware
- Bake at 150*C, 300*F or Mark 2(gas). Place on a shelf in the lower part of the oven to allow the air to pass freely over it. Put the sheet of brown paper over it for the first 2 hours and then remove to allow browning.
Ready to go into the oven, with brown paper surrounds and topper
- It should take 2 ½ to 3 hours but this can vary depending on your oven. It is cooked when the sides of the cake are starting to come away from the paper and a skewer or knitting needle poked through to the bottom of the cake comes back with only the moistness of the fruit on it.
- Remove from the oven and stand until cool.
- Turn out onto a cake rack. Peel the greaseproof paper off carefully.
- To store the cake wrap it in clear plastic film. If a richer taste is desired holes may be made in the top of the cake with a skewer or thin knitting needle and 1-2 sherry glasses of brandy poured into the cake. 2-3 months storage improves the taste.
Wrapped in Cling film for storage
As requested, here is the recipe for the really good breakfast rolls:
Ingredients:
450gm/1lb/4 cups unbleached plain white flour; plus extra for dusting
10ml/2tsp salt
20gm/¾ oz fresh yeast (or dry yeast equivalent)
150ml/¼ pint/ 2∕3 cup lukewarm milk
150ml/¼ pint/ 2∕3 cup lukewarm water
30ml/2Tb milk, for glazing
Oil/Butter for greasing
Equipment:
2 Baking Sheets
Cling Film
To Make 10 Rolls:
- Grease 2 baking sheets.
- Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Mix the yeast in with the lukewarm milk, then mix in the lukewarm water.
- Add to the centre of the flour and mix together to form a soft dough.
- Knead the dough lightly in the bowl, then cover with lightly oiled clear film.
- Leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
- Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knock back.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.
- Knead lightly and, using a rolling pin, shape each piece into a flat oval 10 x 7.5cm/4 x 3", or a flat round 9cm/3½".
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart, and cover with oiled cling/clear film.
- Leave to rise in a warm place, for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven on to 200°C/400°F/GM6.
- Press each roll in the centre with three fingers to equalise the air bubbles and prevent blistering.
- Brush with milk and dust with flour.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Dust with more flour and cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Serve warm.
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