plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until required.
Royal icing
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 tsp lemon juice
Method
1 Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl lightly with a fork until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Add about half the confectioners’ sugar and all of the lemon juice and beat well with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes until brilliant white.
2 Gradually stir in the remaining confectioners’ sugar until the consistency is just right for spreading or piping. If not using immediately, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth to prevent the icing from drying out.
Cake decorations
Whichever cake you choose, you need to melt and sieve about 1 / 4 cup apricot jam before you apply any of the decorations or icing. The jam prevents the cake from drying out and suppresses any crumbs.
Candied fruit cake
This looks most dramatic if it is made in a square pan. Brush the jam over the top of the cake and then arrange nuts and whole or sliced candied fruits and peel in a decorative pattern while the jam is still warm and sticky. Glaze with more jam and leave until set firmly in place before tying a ribbon around the sides of the cake.
Snow white cake
Brush the jam over the top and sides of the cake. Roll out the marzipan and use it to cover the cake completely, then smooth it in place with your hands and trim off any excess. Let the marzipan dry out for a few days before covering with royal icing. Use a palette knife to rough up the icing into peaks, immediately after you have spread it all over the cake. If you are using store-bought decorations for the top of the cake (here, silver dragées and fresh cranberries), you need to gently press them in before the icing sets hard.
Clockwise from top: Candied fruit cake , Snow white cake .
Rich fruit cake
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----
Cuts into 10 slices
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Special equipment deep 8in (20cm) round cake pan
Ingredients
16 tbsp soft butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 3 / 4 cups self-rising flour
1 1 / 2 cups raisins
1 1 / 2 cups golden raisins
3 / 4 cup glacé cherries, halved and rinsed
1 / 2 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp brandy
Method
1 Preheat oven to 275˚F (140˚C). Lightly grease the pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2 Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until combined. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the surface.
3 Bake for 2–2 1 / 4 hours. Cover the top of the cake with foil after about 1 hour to prevent the top from becoming too brown.
4 When cooked, the cake should be firm to the touch and a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan before turning out. Store in an airtight container.
Hot chocolate soufflé
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----
Makes 4
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Special equipment 4 x 8oz (300 ml) soufflé dishes
Ingredients
4oz (125g) dark chocolate
2 tbsp water
1 1 / 4 cups milk
3 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
1 / 3 cup all-purpose flour
2–3 drops of vanilla extract
1 / 4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
sifted confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Method
1 Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a small saucepan with the measured water and a few tablespoons of the milk. Heat gently, whisking, until the chocolate has melted. Add the remaining milk, whisking to blend.
2 Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour, and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the chocolate and milk mixture, whisking until smooth before adding more milk. Stir in the vanilla extract and granulated sugar and let cool.
3 Beat the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture. Lightly butter the individual soufflé dishes and set aside.
4 Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold 1 large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate
Royal icing
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 tsp lemon juice
Method
1 Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl lightly with a fork until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Add about half the confectioners’ sugar and all of the lemon juice and beat well with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes until brilliant white.
2 Gradually stir in the remaining confectioners’ sugar until the consistency is just right for spreading or piping. If not using immediately, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth to prevent the icing from drying out.
Cake decorations
Whichever cake you choose, you need to melt and sieve about 1 / 4 cup apricot jam before you apply any of the decorations or icing. The jam prevents the cake from drying out and suppresses any crumbs.
Candied fruit cake
This looks most dramatic if it is made in a square pan. Brush the jam over the top of the cake and then arrange nuts and whole or sliced candied fruits and peel in a decorative pattern while the jam is still warm and sticky. Glaze with more jam and leave until set firmly in place before tying a ribbon around the sides of the cake.
Snow white cake
Brush the jam over the top and sides of the cake. Roll out the marzipan and use it to cover the cake completely, then smooth it in place with your hands and trim off any excess. Let the marzipan dry out for a few days before covering with royal icing. Use a palette knife to rough up the icing into peaks, immediately after you have spread it all over the cake. If you are using store-bought decorations for the top of the cake (here, silver dragées and fresh cranberries), you need to gently press them in before the icing sets hard.
Clockwise from top: Candied fruit cake , Snow white cake .
Rich fruit cake
----
----
Cuts into 10 slices
----
Special equipment deep 8in (20cm) round cake pan
Ingredients
16 tbsp soft butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 3 / 4 cups self-rising flour
1 1 / 2 cups raisins
1 1 / 2 cups golden raisins
3 / 4 cup glacé cherries, halved and rinsed
1 / 2 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp brandy
Method
1 Preheat oven to 275˚F (140˚C). Lightly grease the pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2 Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until combined. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the surface.
3 Bake for 2–2 1 / 4 hours. Cover the top of the cake with foil after about 1 hour to prevent the top from becoming too brown.
4 When cooked, the cake should be firm to the touch and a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan before turning out. Store in an airtight container.
Hot chocolate soufflé
----
----
Makes 4
----
Special equipment 4 x 8oz (300 ml) soufflé dishes
Ingredients
4oz (125g) dark chocolate
2 tbsp water
1 1 / 4 cups milk
3 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
1 / 3 cup all-purpose flour
2–3 drops of vanilla extract
1 / 4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
sifted confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Method
1 Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a small saucepan with the measured water and a few tablespoons of the milk. Heat gently, whisking, until the chocolate has melted. Add the remaining milk, whisking to blend.
2 Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour, and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the chocolate and milk mixture, whisking until smooth before adding more milk. Stir in the vanilla extract and granulated sugar and let cool.
3 Beat the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture. Lightly butter the individual soufflé dishes and set aside.
4 Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold 1 large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate
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