Christmas baking

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Published: Sat, 2011-12-17 18:58
Wendy Rahamut

Next week Sunday is Christmas, and everyone wants to indulge just a little. Try baking delightful sweet bread for Christmas morning breakfast, laden with dried fruit and nuts, light and rich, the perfect way to start a special holiday. As a baking treat I’ve included a warm cinnamon sponge cake soaked in an orange sauce, for you to try, a perfect ending to a special day. Happy Christmas, next week we’ll talk about brining your turkey.

CINNAMON WALNUT SPONGE WITH ORANGE RUM SYRUP

2?cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
2?cups chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 350f Grease and flour a ten-inch tube pan.
• Sprinkle nuts onto the bottom of the pan and set aside.
• Beat eggs with sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, and doubled in volume, about four minutes.
• Sift flour with the baking powder and cinnamon.
• Fold in the flour and beat for a further two minutes, add milk to the butter.
• Add to batter and beat for about one minute more until mixture is creamy.
• Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until well risen, golden and the cake begins to pull away from the tin.
• Remove from oven, run a knife around the cake to loosen it from the edges.
• Wait five minutes before turning out.
• Turn cake out of pan, with a long wooden skewer make holes in the cake all the way through.
• Spoon the warm glaze onto cake until all the glaze is used up and the cake is soaked with the syrup.
• Serve cake with a dollop of heavy cream.
• Serves ten.

ORANGE SCENTED RUM SYRUP

1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2?cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark or golden rum
1 tbs orange zest
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp aromatic bitters

• Melt butter in a small sauce pan; add sugar and water, stir to dissolve sugar, add orange zest and nutmeg.
• Boil for about three to five minutes, remove add rum and bitters.
• Spoon onto cake as in directions above.

CHRISTMAS FRUIT AND NUT LOAF

4-41/2 cups All purpose flour
1 tbs instant yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1?cup milk, warmed
1/2?tsp nutmeg
1/2?tsp salt
2?tbs orange zest
2?tbs brandy
2?eggs
2/3?cup butter, room temperature but not soft.
pinch salt
1 cup raisins
1?cup currants
1 cup citron peel
1 cup toasted almonds
2?tbs melted butter
2?tbs sugar mixed with 2 tbs cinnamon
1cup sifted icing sugar

• In a mixing bowl combine yeast with one cup flour and sugar, stir, and cover for one hour.
• With an electric mixer mix yeast mixture with nutmeg, salt, orange zest, brandy and eggs and one cup of flour,?knead.
• Add dried fruits and nuts.
• Cut butter into one inch pieces and add to dough one piece at a time.
• Knead and add flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough is formed and all the butter has been added.
• Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Cover and let rest until doubled in volume, about 60 mins.

Punch down dough, divide into two pieces.
• Roll each piece into an 11-inch oblong, brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon mixture.
• Fold dough in half to within one inch of the other side on the longer portion of the dough. Press to seal.
• Repeat with other half. Place on lined baking trays.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 35 to 40 minutes.When cool dust with icing sugar.

• Makes two loaves.
Wendy Rahamut

baking with Bill & Sheila

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