HERON QUALITY FOODS - www.glutenfreedirect.com

GLUTEN FREE RECIPES
HERON FOODS RICH, DARK CHRISTMAS CAKE HERON FOODS LIGHT, MOIST CHRISTMAS CAKE

This is a gluten free rich, dark Christmas cake.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 450g CURRANTS
  • 174g SULTANAS
  • 50g RINSED & CHOPPED GLACE CHERRIES
  • 50g MIXED CANDIED PEEL - CHOPPED
  • 3 TABLESPOONS BRANDY
  • 225g HERON GLUTEN FREE FLOUR OR HERON WHEAT FREE BREAD & CAKE MIX
  • ¼ TSP SALT
  • ¼ TSP GRATED NUTMEG
  • ½ TSP MIXED SPICE
  • 225g UNSALTED BUTTER
  • 225g DARK BROWN SUGAR
  • 4 FREE RANGE EGGS
  • 50g ALMONDS WITH SKIN AND CHOPPED
  • 1 DESSERTSPOON BLACK TREACLE
  • GRATED ZEST OF 1 ORANGE
  • GRATED ZEST OF 1 LEMON
  • ¼ TSP SALT

METHOD:

  1. THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WANT TO BAKE YOUR CAKE, PUT ALL YOUR FRUIT INTO A BOWL, AND POUR OVER THE BRANDY. STIR, COVER AND LEAVE TO SOAK OVERNIGHT.
  2. YOU WILL NEED A 20cm (8") ROUND TIN, GREASED AND LINED WITH A DOUBLE LAYER OF GREASEPROOF PAPER. YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO PROTECT YOUR CAKE WITH A BAND OF BROWN PAPER TIED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIN.
  3. PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 140'C (275'F OR GAS MARK 1).
  4. MEASURE OUT ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS. (WARM THE TREACLE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO POUR).
  5. WHISK THE BUTTER AND SUGAR, UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY; IN A SEPARATE BOWL WHISK THE EGGS UNTIL DOUBLE IN VOLUME. ADD THE EGGS GRADUALLY TO THE MIX GIVING IT A GOOD BEATING WHEN ALL THE EGG IS WHISKED IN.
  6. MIX THE SALT AND SPICES INTO THE HERON FLOUR AND FOLD INTO THE CAKE MIX, NOW FOLD IN ALL THE FRUIT, NUTS AND PEEL.
  7. TRANSFER THE MIXTURE TO YOUR PREPARED TIN, SMOOTHING OVER THE TOP. COVER THE TOP OF THE CAKE WITH A DOUBLE LAYER OF GREASEPROOF PAPER WITH A SMALL HOLE CUT IN THE CENTRE TO ALLOW THE STEAM TO ESCAPE.
  8. BAKE ON THE LOWEST SHELF OF YOUR OVEN FOR 4½-4¾ HOURS.
  9. DON'T EVEN LOOK AT IT UNTIL IT HAS HAD 4 HOURS, THEN TEST WITH A SHARP KNIFE, IF THE KNIFE COMES OUT CLEAN YOUR CAKE IS DONE.
  10. LEAVE IN THE TIN TO COOL, THEN TURN OUT TO A COOLING RACK.
  11. WHEN COLD REMOVE ALL PAPER AND STORE, DOUBLE WRAPPED IN GREASEPROOF PAPER, IN AN AIRTIGHT TIN.
  12. YOU CAN FEED PERIODICALLY WITH A LITTLE MORE BRANDY UNTIL TIME TO MARZIPAN AND ICE YOUR CAKE.

This is a gluten free light moist Christmas cake you can bake as an alternative to a dark rich one. Absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 225g SULTANAS
  • 110g DRIED CHOPPED APRICOTS
  • 3 TABLESPOONS BRANDY
  • 110g CHOPPED PECAN NUTS
  • 110g CHOPPED GLACE PINEAPPLES
  • 175g CHOPPED GLACE CHERRIES - RED, GREEN & YELLOW
  • 110g MIXED CANDIED PEEL - CHOPPED SMALL
  • 50g CHOPPED ANGELICA
  • 50g CHOPPED CRYSTALLISED GINGER
  • GRATED ZEST OF 1 MEDIUM ORANGE
  • GRATED ZEST OF 1 MEDIUM LEMON
  • 225g UNSALTED BUTTER
  • 225g CASTER SUGAR
  • 4 FREE RANGE EGGS
  • 50g GROUND ALMONDS
  • 225g HERON GLUTEN FREE FLOUR OR HERON WHEAT FREE BREAD & CAKE MIX

METHOD:

  1. THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR CAKE, PUT THE SULTANAS AND APRICOTS IN A BOWL, AND POUR OVER THE BRANDY. STIR, COVER AND LEAVE TO SOAK OVERNIGHT.
  2. YOU WILL NEED A 20cm (8") ROUND TIN, GREASED AND LINED WITH A DOUBLE LAYER OF GREASEPROOF PAPER. YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO PROTECT YOUR CAKE WITH A BAND OF BROWN PAPER TIED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIN.
  3. PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 170'C (325'F OR GAS MARK 3).
  4. CHOP THE REST OF THE FRUIT & NUTS AND GRATE THE LEMON & ORANGE, ADD TO THE APRICOTS AND SULTANAS. CHECK THAT YOU HAVE ALL YOUR INGREDIENTS.
  5. PUT THE BUTTER AND SUGAR IN A MIXING BOWL AND WHISK UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, WHISK THE EGGS UNTIL DOUBLE IN VOLUME. BEAT THE EGGS IN GRADUALLY MAKING SURE THAT YOU GIVE THEM A GOOD BEATING AT THE END.
  6. WHEN THE EGGS ARE WHISKED IN, LIGHTLY STIR IN THE HERON FLOUR AND THE SALT FOLLOWED BY THE GROUND ALMONDS, THEN ALL THE FRUIT, NUTS & PEEL.
  7. TRANSFER THE MIXTURE TO THE PREPARED LINED AND GREASED 20cm (8") ROUND TIN.
  8. SMOOTH THE MIXTURE INTO THE TIN AND PLACE IN THE CENTRE OF THE OVEN. BAKE FOR 1 HOUR, THEN REDUCE THE OVEN TO 150'C (300'f OR GAS MARK 2), COVER THE CAKE WITH A DOUBLE LAYER OF GREASEPROOF PAPER AND BAKE FOR A FURTHER 2 HOURS UNTIL A SHARP KNIFE INSERTED INTO THE CAKE COMES OUT CLEAN.
  9. LEAVE IN THE TIN TO COOL, THEN TURN OUT AND REMOVE ALL THE PAPER. WHEN THE CAKE IS COLD WRAP IN A DOUBLE LAYER OF GREASEPROOF PAPER AND STORE IN AN AIRTIGHT TIN. YOU CAN THEN MARZIPAN AND ICE THE CAKE AS YOU WOULD ANY OTHER CHRISTMAS CAKE.