Since Christmas is approaching quickly, thinking of food to prepare for the holidays will surely be on top of your to-do list. It’s the season when people are thinking of indulging themselves in fattening foods. One of the most common foods prepared during the Yuletide season is fruitcake. Fruitcakes are simply a mixture of nuts and fruits with enough batter added that it holds the mixture together. For me, the key to having the best-tasting fruitcake is to allow enough time for all the flavors to blend— both before and after baking them. In the Caribbean, bakers would soak their fruit in rum for a couple of months to create the perfect tangy taste.
It’s essential that you make sure that the fresh fruits you use in your fruitcake are ripe. Fruits that aren’t ripe won’t give the sweet citrus taste your fruitcake needs to have. When your fruits are ready, chop them up, along with nuts and any dried fruits, and then add some liquor or fruit juice. Let the mixture stand for about two to three days. You can begin preparing your batter and bake your cake after 2-3 days. Taking your time will result in a better fruitcake.
Once you are done baking your cake, you must wait for it to cool down thoroughly. You can do other things whilst waiting for your fruitcake to cool down. Some do their household chores while others watch their favorite television programs. As for me, I spend some time playing online games such as FoxyBingo while waiting for my fruitcake to cool. After playing for about an hour, I check on my fruitcake and see if it has cooled down. I poke some holes in it using a toothpick and wrap it with liquor-dampened cheesecloth. It is important to store your fruitcake in an airtight container. This will make your fruitcake’s flavor mellow. After each week, you need to check on your fruitcake, brush it with rum or liquor and rewrap with the damp cloth.
Fruitcake is a holiday tradition that is varied and creative. Explore some of the options out there and enjoy the tradition in a way that makes it your own. Happy holidays and here's to finding ways to expand the season and enjoy yourself a bit!