sugar
Filling
12oz (375g) full-fat cream cheese
1 / 2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
a few drops of vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
Topping
1 tsp arrowroot
1 x 14oz (400g) can pitted black cherries
1 tbsp kirsch
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Make the graham cracker crust: mix together the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar, and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the cake pan.
2 Make the filling: put the cream cheese into a bowl and beat until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well-blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and creamy.
3 Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Bake for 25–30 minutes until just set. Let cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator and let chill.
4 Make the topping: dissolve the arrowroot in a little of the cherry juice. Put the cherries and their juice into a small pan and add the arrowroot mixture with the kirsch. Bring to a boil, stirring, until thick. Let cool completely.
5 Spoon the cherries on top of the cheese filling. Chill. Use a knife to loosen the side of the cheesecake from the pan, then remove the cheesecake. Serve chilled.
Cherry cheesecake
Rich fruit Christmas cake
----
----
Cuts into about 30 slices
----
Special equipment deep 9in (23cm) round or 8in (20cm) square cake pan
Ingredients
2 1 / 2 cups currants
1 1 / 2 cups golden raisins
1 1 / 2 cups raisins
1 1 / 2 cups glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed, and dried
1 cup dried apricots, sliced into small pieces
1 / 3 cup mixed candied peel, coarsely chopped
1 / 4 cup brandy, plus extra for soaking
2 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 / 2 tsp grated nutmeg
21 tbsp soft butter, plus extra for greasing
1 1 / 3 cups dark brown sugar
5 large eggs
1 / 4 cup whole unblanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
Method
1 Combine the fruit and candied peel in a large bowl. Add the brandy and stir to mix well. Cover and leave overnight.
2 Preheat the oven to 275˚F (140˚C). Put the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until thoroughly blended. Stir in the soaked fruits and any liquid.
3 Grease the cake pan with butter, line the bottom and sides with a double layer of parchment paper, and grease the paper. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Level the surface and cover the top of the cake with parchment paper.
4 Bake for 4 3 / 4 –5 hours until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan.
5 When the cake has cooled, pierce it in several places with a fine skewer and pour in a little brandy. Remove the cake from the pan, but leave the lining paper on. Wrap the cake in more parchment paper, then overwrap with foil. Store the cake in a cool place for up to 3 months to mature, unwrapping and spooning over more brandy (1–2 tbsp) occasionally.
6 Decorate the cake with glacé fruit, almond paste , or ready-to-use royal icing . Tie a ribbon around the cake, if wished.
Marzipan (almond paste)
Ingredients
2 1 / 4 cups ground almonds
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
6 drops of almond extract
about 4 large egg yolks, or 2 whole eggs
Method
1 Mix the ground almonds in a bowl with the two different types of sugar until evenly combined. Lightly beat together the extract and egg yolks or whole eggs. Add almost all of this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together until a stiff paste forms; it is best to do this with your hands. Add the remaining egg if needed so that the mixture comes together well.
2 Dust a flat surface lightly with confectioners’ sugar, turn the mixture onto it, and knead with your hands to make a stiff paste. Be careful not to over-knead or the paste will be oily. Wrap in
Filling
12oz (375g) full-fat cream cheese
1 / 2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
a few drops of vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
Topping
1 tsp arrowroot
1 x 14oz (400g) can pitted black cherries
1 tbsp kirsch
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Make the graham cracker crust: mix together the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar, and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the cake pan.
2 Make the filling: put the cream cheese into a bowl and beat until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well-blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and creamy.
3 Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Bake for 25–30 minutes until just set. Let cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator and let chill.
4 Make the topping: dissolve the arrowroot in a little of the cherry juice. Put the cherries and their juice into a small pan and add the arrowroot mixture with the kirsch. Bring to a boil, stirring, until thick. Let cool completely.
5 Spoon the cherries on top of the cheese filling. Chill. Use a knife to loosen the side of the cheesecake from the pan, then remove the cheesecake. Serve chilled.
Cherry cheesecake
Rich fruit Christmas cake
----
----
Cuts into about 30 slices
----
Special equipment deep 9in (23cm) round or 8in (20cm) square cake pan
Ingredients
2 1 / 2 cups currants
1 1 / 2 cups golden raisins
1 1 / 2 cups raisins
1 1 / 2 cups glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed, and dried
1 cup dried apricots, sliced into small pieces
1 / 3 cup mixed candied peel, coarsely chopped
1 / 4 cup brandy, plus extra for soaking
2 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 / 2 tsp grated nutmeg
21 tbsp soft butter, plus extra for greasing
1 1 / 3 cups dark brown sugar
5 large eggs
1 / 4 cup whole unblanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
Method
1 Combine the fruit and candied peel in a large bowl. Add the brandy and stir to mix well. Cover and leave overnight.
2 Preheat the oven to 275˚F (140˚C). Put the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until thoroughly blended. Stir in the soaked fruits and any liquid.
3 Grease the cake pan with butter, line the bottom and sides with a double layer of parchment paper, and grease the paper. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Level the surface and cover the top of the cake with parchment paper.
4 Bake for 4 3 / 4 –5 hours until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan.
5 When the cake has cooled, pierce it in several places with a fine skewer and pour in a little brandy. Remove the cake from the pan, but leave the lining paper on. Wrap the cake in more parchment paper, then overwrap with foil. Store the cake in a cool place for up to 3 months to mature, unwrapping and spooning over more brandy (1–2 tbsp) occasionally.
6 Decorate the cake with glacé fruit, almond paste , or ready-to-use royal icing . Tie a ribbon around the cake, if wished.
Marzipan (almond paste)
Ingredients
2 1 / 4 cups ground almonds
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
6 drops of almond extract
about 4 large egg yolks, or 2 whole eggs
Method
1 Mix the ground almonds in a bowl with the two different types of sugar until evenly combined. Lightly beat together the extract and egg yolks or whole eggs. Add almost all of this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together until a stiff paste forms; it is best to do this with your hands. Add the remaining egg if needed so that the mixture comes together well.
2 Dust a flat surface lightly with confectioners’ sugar, turn the mixture onto it, and knead with your hands to make a stiff paste. Be careful not to over-knead or the paste will be oily. Wrap in
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