Christmas Jelly Cake

Last year, just before Christmas, my mom had a bad fall and I really had no mood to do anything fancy. 

I remembered I brought this cake to a gathering and had received a good review on this Christmas Jelly Cake.  Though the process is long, this recipe gives you time to do things in between.

Though the steps seem never-ending but it is not as intimidating as you think.  In fact, it is rather easy.

I did a few tries and had improved on the texture to our preference as well as the brand of milk we used.

Adapted

What you need:

Biscuit base:

200g digestive biscuit

80g unsalted butter, melted 

1st layer

2½ tsp gelatine powder

¼ cup water

200g condensed milk (milkmaid)

200g water

1 tbsp lemon juice

2nd layer

1 jelly crystal (green)

1 tsp gelatine powder

200g boiling water

150g cold water

3rd layer

2½ tsp gelatine powder

¼ cup water

200g condensed milk (milkmaid)

200g water

1 tbs lemon juice

4th layer

1 packet jelly crystal (red)

1 tsp gelatine powder

200g boiling water

150g cold water

Method:

Base

Lined a springform pan with cling wrap.  Extend all the way to the top and overhanging.  Set aside. 

Blend biscuits in a food processor until fine. 

Add the melted butter and mix until well combined.

Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin and then place it into the fridge to set.

1st layer – milk

In a small cup, combine gelatine with water and let it sit until it bloom.

In a pot of boiling water, set the gelatine over it and stir to dissolve completely.

In another pot, combined condensed milk and water.  On low heat, stir condense milk and water until it is fully combined.

Remove heat and add in lemon juice.

Add in dissolved gelatine and stir to fully combined.

Pour the mixture over the prepared base and chill until set

2nd layer - green

In a small pot bring a 1 cup of water to boil, stir in the green jelly crystal and gelatine until dissolved. 

Add in 100ml cold water and stir.

Slowly pour into the 1st milk layer and chill until set.

3rd layer  - milk

In a small cup, combine gelatine with water and let it sit until it bloom.

In a pot of boiling water, set the gelatine over it and stir to dissolve completely.

In another pot, combined condensed milk and water.  On low heat, stir condensed milk and water until it is fully combined.

Remove heat and add in lemon juice.

Add in dissolved gelatine and stir to fully combined.

Pour the mixture over the prepared base and chill until set

4th layer – red

In a small pot bring a 1 cup of water to boil, stir in the red jelly crystal and gelatine until dissolved. 

Add in 100ml cold water and stir.

Slowly pour into the 1st milk layer and chill until set.

Let it set completely – prefer 8 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Panettone (Christmas Bread)

To me, a Panettone is like a mixed fruit bread until I tasted one that my sister bought on one Christmas.  The texture is not dry like most that I tried before.  In fact, this one is like brioche and it was pricey for that loaf.

Since this month Bake Along theme is Panettone, I decided to take up a challenge to see whether I can produce on that is close to it.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get hold of a 6" panettone disposable mould so I have to bake these into minis.

Findings: The original recipe needed two days to get this out of the oven but I managed to revise some steps to bake this within a day.

The dough is very sticky to handle so I will recommend using a mixer to do the job.  

Adding the mixed fruits is a challenge too.  I think I didn't distribute it evenly and thus this particular one, it hardly have any raisins.  I would recommend to add more if you like sweeter bread.

As I wasn't able to buy a 6" panettone mould, I made this into 10 mini ones.  Thus I need to add butter individually.  Also I didn't managed to "X" the dough nicely.  Perhaps next time I should just use a scissors.  

This will goes really well toasted and a slab of butter on it.

This recipe received very good feedback.  Definitely a keeper.

Source: Sullivan Street Bakery 

What you need:

200g raisins
2 tbsp light rum
2 tbsp hot water
600g plain flour
133g granulated sugar
7g active dry yeast
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp lemon zest
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, remove seeds
3 eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup tepid water
1 tbsp honey
160g unsalted butter, well softened
1 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled (if baking just one, if not have to prepare individual)
100g candied peel  

Method:

In a small bowl, soak raisins with rum and 2 tbsp of hot water.  Zap in microwave for 30 sec.  Set aside.

Mix yeast, 1 tbsp of sugar and honey in the warm water.  Set aside until it became foamy.

In a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, lemon zest and vanilla seeds on low speed until combined.

Add in the yeast mixture and egg into the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium-low and mix until all of the ingredients are combined.

Add in the softened butter, 1 tbsp at a time, until incorporated before adding more.

Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Drain the raisins, discard the soaking liquid, and stir together with the candied citron.

Stir this mixture into the dough with a wooden spoon.

Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a cold oven with the door closed until it has nearly tripled in volume

Dust dough lightly with flour and place onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide dough into respective greased moulds.

Dust a bit more flour onto the dough, then fold the edges of the dough in towards the center, forming a loose ball, and place, seam-side down, into the panettone mold. 

Cover with a damp kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until the dough is just above the top of the mold, or double in size.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place the dough-filled panettone mold on a baking sheet. Use a very sharp knife to score an "X" across the entire surface of the dough.

Place the 1 tbsp chilled butter (a small slab of butter if baking minis) in the center of the X and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out slightly moist but not wet, 60 to 75 minutes (For minis, I needed 25 mins) or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and hang the panettone upside down over a big pot, by piercing 2 X 12-inch metal or wooden skewers all the way through the panettone (including the paper) 4 inches apart and 1 inch from the bottom so the skewers are parallel.

To store the panettone, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then either place in a resealable plastic bag, or wrap again in foil.

The bread will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.

To serve, slice, toast and with a slab of butter.

I am pleased to submit to Cook and Celebrate: Christmas 2015 event.  


Organized by Yen from GoodyFoodies, Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

I am submitting this post for Bake Along, an event organised by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Lena from Frozen Wings and Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids

Happy Baking.

Hampton Fruit Cake

I am not a fan of fruit cake but I once ate F's Hampton Fruit cake, it changed my mind.  Ever since then, this is my favourite fruit cake and I have been baking this for nearly past 10 Christmases, that is whenever we are in town.

It is not cloyingly sweet or it is dry.  I personally find it a good balance.  A friend who is like me who don't fancy fruit cake, liked this version as well.

Though this year, we are not in town but I really wanted to bake this for I fear I will lost touch with it.

Once again, it didn't disappoint.

What you need

Soak overnight in 50ml of rum:

200g raisins
200g currants
150g mixed peel
50g glaced cherries

Melt:

250g butter
250g sugar
Mixed in 4 eggs, one at a time when butter is slightly cool.

Sift together

350g sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
¼ tsp each of ground cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, clove, nutmeg and ginger

50g nuts
grated skin of one lemon
grated skin of one orange

Method

Add flour to butter mixture, a little at a time. Mix well.

Add fruit mixture to the batter. 

Add in your favourite nuts and grated skin of lemon and orange.

Bake for 1.5 hours at 150°C.

Drizzle a little brandy over the cake for the next 3 days.  Keep in air tight container.

Note: This cake needs time to mature, thus it is advisable to bake this 1 or 2 weeks before giving out as gift.

I am pleased to submit to Cook and Celebrate: Christmas 2015 event.  


Organized by Yen from GoodyFoodies, Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.


Cheers!

Hampton Fruit Cupcake

from my old blog

I am definitely not a big fan of fruit cake but this recipe was shared by a very dear friend of mine more than ten years ago. 

Since then, I have been baking this cake annually for Christmas except for last year as I was busy painting the house. 

As it takes quite a few weeks for the rum to really immerse into the cake, I always do it on the 1st week of December so that this cake will be moist and nice by Christmas Eve. 

What you need 

Soak overnight in 50ml of rum: 

200g raisins 
200g currants 
150g mixed peel 
50g glaced cherries 

Melt: 

250g butter 
250g sugar
4 eggs 

Mixed in 4 eggs, one at a time when butter is slightly cool. 

Sift together 

350g sifted flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
a pinch of salt 

1/4 tsp each of ground cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, clove, nutmeg and ginger 

50g nuts 
grated skin of one lemon 
grated skin of one orange 

Method 

Add flour to butter mixture, a little at a time. 

Mix well. Add fruit mixture to the batter. 

Add in your favourite nuts and grated skin of lemon and orange. 

Bake for 1.5 hours at 150°C. 

Brandy Pineapple Fruit Cake

I have not been baking my all-time favourite, Hampton Fruit Cake for Christmas for the past three years.  I stopped due to either health reason or we were away during that festive season.

As mom likes fruit cake and by the time she is home, there is about a week left to this, 15 days of celebration.  So I decided to bake a Brandy Pineapple Fruit Cake so that she can share it with her guests and I can improvise on this recipe as well.

As I didn't want to join the long queue over this festive period, I used whatever I have on hand.  Thus I substituted mixed fruits with golden raisins and cranberries.  

This one month had been really tiring for me as I have to look after my sister as well as dealing with a poor back condition.  

The stubborn me, yet wanted to bake something for this festive season.  Hubby was really angry with me but it just doesn't feel right without any festive cookies and I have never enjoyed store-bought ones since the day I discovered baking.