Texas Fruitcake

Texas Fruitcake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 76.

This is the first time I've ever made a fruitcake and I have to admit that I haven't been a fan of fruitcake in the past. Actually, it is not something that I have eaten a lot of and I don't ever recall my mother buying or making it. I was also influenced by the reputation that fruitcake has and we all know that it is widely panned. 

This is quite good and it is a recipe that I would make again. It is loaded with fruits and nuts. This is best served cold. I followed the recipe ingredients exactly except for two things - I used a combination of candied orange and lemon peel instead of just orange and I used some candied cherries since I didn't have enough pineapple. Maida mentions that diced candied ginger is also good. You can vary the fruit and nut ingredients to your liking. Great for the holidays!

It is helpful to have two mixer bowls ready before you start the recipe since you will be mixing the egg white mixture separately. For egg whites, I always chill the bowl and whisk in the freezer.

8 oz. (1 cup) pitted dates, left whole
1 cup cut-up candied orange peel, cut in 1/2 inch pieces, tightly packed
1 cup (4 to 5 slices) candied pineapple, each slide cut into 8 to 10 wedges
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
8 oz. (2 1/2 cups) mixed walnut and pecan halves, left whole
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 TBS. bourbon        

Adjust oven rack 1/3 from the bottom and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter or spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Line the pan with foil. Cut 2 strips, one for the length of the pan and other for the width.

The second strip will overlap the first. Brush the foil with melted butter or spray. Dust with bread crumbs.

  

The fruit you use can be a variety but the amount should be equal to those shown in the recipe.

Place the fruits in a large bowl and use 2 tablespoons of the flour (reserving the rest) and toss the fruit with your fingers to coat each piece of the fruit.

Add the nuts.

Toss the nuts with the fruit.

Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Place the egg yolks in a mixer bowl.

Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar.

Add the remaining sugar to the egg yolks and beat for about 5 minutes
until the mixture is very light.

Lower the mixer speed and add the vanilla.

Add the bourbon.

Add the sifted dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a
rubber spatula to ensure that it mixes well.

Add the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl. To beat egg whites, I always use the whisk attachment and chill it and the bowl beforehand.

Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar that you reserved earlier.

Beat the egg whites until they hold a shape but are not dry.

Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Don't overdo and deflate the egg whites.

Pour the batter over the nuts and fruit.

Fold the ingredients together.

Transfer to the loaf pan.

Place a piece of plastic wrap over the pan.

Press it down firmly.

Remove the plastic wrap.

Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. During the last 30 minutes, place a piece of foil over
the top to prevent burning. The cake is done when it is semi-firm to the touch.
Let it cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes before removing it.

Invert the cake and carefully remove the foil. Use another rack to invert the cake right side up.

After the cake has cooled completely, wrap it well, and refrigerate for a few hours. You can also freeze it if you wish to serve it at a later date. When you are ready to serve it, turn the cake upside down to slice it and use a very sharp knife. Cut with a sawing motion. This cake is difficult to cut in very thin slices. Serve the cake cold.

Christmas Fruitcake Bars

Christmas Fruitcake Bars
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 139 (page 139 of 2011 edition).

These are thin fruitcake bars that can be wrapped individually in cellophane for gift-gifting and they are good for mailing. The bars will be very thin. For the candied fruit, you can use anything you'd like. I used green and red candied cherries and candied pineapple. You could also use the mixed candied fruit. These bars are very pretty and tasty.

6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) walnuts, coarsely chopped
5 oz. (1 cup) raisins
8 oz. (1 cup, packed) pitted dates, cut in large pieces
8 to 10 oz. (generous 1 cup) candied fruit
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 1 large, deep-colored orange
Confectioners sugar

Makes 32 bars

Adjust oven rack to center of oven and preheat to 325. Butter or spray a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch jelly-roll pan. 

Place the walnuts, raisins, dates and candied fruit in a large mixing bowl.

Add 1/4 cup of the flour (reserving the remaining 3/4 cup) and toss the fruit and nuts with your fingers until they are all evenly coated. Set aside.

Beat the eggs just to mix.

Add the salt, sugar and vanilla and mix.

On low speed, add the remaining flour and mix well.

Stir in the orange rind.

Pour the batter over the fruit and nuts.

Mix well.

  

Transfer to  the prepared pan.

Ready for the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Cool completely in the pan.

Cut around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Use a flat board or cooling rack to invert the pan upside down to remove. Invert again to turn right side up. Place on wax paper or cutting board.

Sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top.

Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into bars.

   

Plain Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Plain Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 221 (page 230 of 2011 edition).

Simple to make and good but the dough will need to chill at least 3 hours before baking. These can be made large or small and whatever thickness you desire.

3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt 
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
Additional sugar (for topping)
 

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Cream the butter.

Add the vanilla.

Add the sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
Add the tablespoon of milk (forgot to photograph that!)

On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients.

Divide the dough into 2 portions and wrap in wax or foil. Chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours or longer. Do not freeze or the dough will be too hard to roll.

Baking the Cookies

Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.

Roll the dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch, depending on whether you want thick or thin cookies.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.

Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with foil.

Sprinkle sugar on the cookies.

Bake for 8-12 or just until the start to turn brown. Transfer to racks to cool.

Moosehead Gingerbread

Moosehead Gingerbread
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 146.

This recipe constitutes 2 firsts - the first time I've ever made gingerbread and my first reader request! I'm thrilled that I have readers! hehe

This recipe is very easy and I already had everything I needed for it except for the molasses. I almost made these in my mini muffin tins to give as gifts but in the end, I decided just to make it in a 9-inch pan as directed. I might try these later in the individual pans and see how they turn out.

This is moist, delicious and wonderful. Maida Heatter got the recipe from a fishing guide at Moosehead Lake, near the Canadian border. She says that dry mustard, pepper and coffee were unusual ingredients for gingerbread at the time but since then, it has become standard.

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. powdered cloves
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground fine
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses, dark or light
1 rounded tablespoon instant coffee
1 cup boiling water   

Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Butter (or spray) a 9-inch square pan. Dust lightly with fine dry bread crumbs. 

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mustard and black pepper.
Set aside.

    

Beat the butter to soften.

Add the brown sugar and beat 1-2 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the molasses (a liquid measuring tube is great for this).

Dissolve the coffee granules in 1 cup of boiling water.

On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the coffee in 2 additions.

Beat only until smooth. The mixture will be very thin.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. It is done when the top springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

The gingerbread can be served warm or cold.