Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 2 December 1953, page 41


BY OUR FOOD AND COOKERY EXPERTS

FRUIT PUNCH. cool and refreshing, an attractive Christmas cake, and small fancy cakes are fine fare for Christmas callers. See recipes below.

One of the nicest things about Christmas is the "popping in" of seldom-seen friends and neigh-bors. Of course you offer them a slice of cake and a cup of tea or a long cold drink when you wish them a "Merry Christmas."

Special feature

FOR a cake that you will be

proud to serve, try our recipe for light Christmas cake

—it is delicious and different.

All fruit cakes improve in flavor and cut more smoothly if made several weeks before they are re-quired, but the icing and decorating should be left until two or three days

before the cake is to be cut.

Other recipes below will be help-ful during the festive season.

Note: Spoon measurements in all our recipes refer to level spoons.

LIGHT CHRISTMAS CAKE

Eight ounces butter or substitute, 6oz. brown sugar, 4oz. white sugar, 1 dessertspoon grated lemon rind, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 5 eggs, 5 table-spoons sherry, 8oz. cherries, 8oz. finely shredded peel, 4oz. walnuts and almonds mixed, ½lb. sultanas, ½lb. raisins, 12oz. plain flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt, 1 tea-spoon mixed spice.

Cream butter or substitute with

brown and white sugars, lemon rind, and vanilla. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix cherries, peel, nuts, and fruit well together, add to the

creamed mixture. Fold in half the

sifted dry ingredients, then sherry, then balance of dry ingredient Fill into 8½in. square or round tin lined with 2 layers brown and 1 layer white paper. Bake in very moderate oven 3 to 3¼ hours. Allow to cool in tin, when quite cold wrap cake in large clean towel until ready to ice

and decorate.

ALMOND PASTE

One pound icing sugar, 4oz. almond meal, 2 egg-yolks, 2 table-spoons sherry, squeeze orange or lemon juice, almond essence if

desired.

Sift icing sugar, add almond meal. Stir in egg-yolks beaten with sherry and orange or lemon juice, mix to a stiff paste, adding more fruit juice if required. If strong almond flavor

is liked, add few drops almond essence. Knead slightly on board coated lightly with icing sugar. Roll out to ¼in. thickness. Glaze cake with egg-white or warmed apricot jam. Lift paste on to cake, smooth surface with hands dusted with icing sugar.

Trim base with knife. For easier handling icing may be cut in two portions and lifted on to cake half at a time, moulding so that join is

smooth.

COVERING ICING

Two egg-whites, 4oz. glucose, 2lb. icing sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, few drops vanilla essence, green coloring.

Break egg-whites slightly with fork, do not beat to a froth. Pour into well in centre of sifted icing sugar. Add melted glucose, vanilla, and lemon juice. Gradually work in icing sugar, until all is absorbed.

Knead on board dusted with sifted

icing sugar until smooth and pliable. Add coloring a few drops at a time, kneading in well until desired color

is reached and color is even. Roll

out to good ¼in. thickness. Moisten covered cake with egg-white, lift icing on to cake, moulding and trim-ming as given for almond paste.

Leave 24 hours.

To decorate: One egg-white, 8oz. to 10oz. icing sugar, 1 small tea-spoon glucose, few drops lemon juice, green coloring, 1yd. red satin ribbon 1in. wide, 3 sprays holly.

Prepare icing. Break egg-white

slightly with fork. Add melted glu cose and lemon juice. Gradually work in sifted icing sugar, mixing with wooden spoon until icing is smooth, shiny, and thick enough to hold its shape. Color pale green to

match cake. Write "Christmas

Greetings" on piece of thin paper, place on top of cake and prick out line lightly on to cake with pin Remove paper, and following pin pricks write the words with pre pared icing, using medium-sized writing pipe. Decorate as illustrated To keep scrolls even, first mark outer edge of cake into 16 equal sections. Use each mark as a guide for piping scrolls. Place cake on platter, decorate with ribbon and holly leaves.

NOUGAT TARTLETS

Six ounces biscuit pastry, apricot jam, 1 cup dry cake crumbs, 2 tablespoons almond meal, 3 table-spoons sugar, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons orange juice.

Roll pastry thinly, line small patty-tins. Place small dab of jam in bottom of each. Beat egg with sugar, add cake crumbs, almond meal, and orange juice. Mix well,

fill into tart-cases. Bake in hot oven 12 to 15 minutes, reducing heat after first 5 minutes. Roll balance of pastry thinly, cut into circles, bake

in moderate oven 7 to 10 minutes. Join in pairs with cream or jam, ice and decorate as desired. When cold, coat some of the tartlets with icing.

decorate with nuts, etc. Place dab of cream on others; chill before icing.

FESTIVE CAKES

Three ounces butter or substitute, 2oz. sugar, vanilla, 1 egg, 4oz. self-raising flour, 3 tablespoons milk, cream, almond paste, warmed jam.

cinnamon or cocoa.

Cream shortening with sugar and vanilla. Add egg, beat well. Fold in sifted flour alternately with milk. Fill into greased 8in. sandwich-tin, bake in moderate oven 25 to 30

minutes. When cool, trim to a square

shape, brush with warmed jam, cover with thinly rolled almond paste. Cut into finger lengths, decor-ate as desired

Use trimmings of cake to make "potatoes." Cut cake into small rounds, top with dab of cream, brush with jam, cover with almond paste,

and dust with cinnamon or cocoa.

FRUIT PUNCH

One pineapple, 3 lemons, 3 oranges, 4 pints water, 2½ cups sugar, 4 passionfruit, 1/3 cup rasp berry syrup, lemon slices.

Peel pineapple, Grate half. Cut remainder into dice. Place grated pineapple and skin into saucepan with grated rind of oranges and lemons, sugar, and water. Simmer

20 minutes. Strain and cool. Add tin

orange and lemon juice, diced pine-apple, passionfruit pulp, and rasp-berry syrup. Chill before serving diluted with ginger ale, lemonade, or iced water. Garnish with lemon.