Do you know how to make a Christmas cake? The recipe for this dessert will be presented a little further.
The tradition of preparing delicious festive pastries for Christmas centuries ago originated in Europe. Moreover, in each state, cakes were baked so that they symbolized any particular object that is associated with the sacrament of the birth of the Great Savior. For example, in Germany and France, cooks made cake in the form of logs. Burning on Christmas night in the fireplace, it symbolized the absolute victory of light over darkness, giving happiness and prosperity to the house.
It is impossible not to say that the Stolen pie is very popular in Germany today. It is prepared in the form of layers of dough, which are wrapped in a special way. This form of dessert symbolizes a baby wrapped in diapers.
As for our country, Russian housewives bake Christmas cakes for Christmas a little differently. Although no one bothers our compatriots to prepare for the holiday dessert according to an old German or English recipe.
What ingredients are needed to make a Christmas cake? The recipe for such a product may include completely different products. But one cannot fail to note the fact that all Christmas cakes are very similar to each other. As a rule, they contain a huge amount of nuts, dried fruits, candied fruits and spices.
So how is a christmas cake made? The recipe for this dessert is quite reminiscent of classic Easter cakes, especially if it is made with yeast.
In general, only the freshest and best products are used to make Christmas cakes. Almost all recipes include some kind of alcoholic beverage. Usually dried fruits are soaked in it. Sometimes rum or cognac is also impregnated with ready-made pies. With all this, such a dessert can be consumed by young children.
Classic Christmas Cake: The Recipe Is Simple
To prepare a traditional dessert, we need the following components:
- granulated sugar - about 200 g;
- sifted flour - about 280 g;
- good butter - about 200 g;
- large raw eggs - 3 pcs.;
- peeled almonds - about 150 g;
- unshelled walnuts - about 50 g;
- candied fruit - about 100 g;
- seedless raisins black - about 80 g;
- green sweet and sour apple - 2 pcs.;
- dark chocolate - about 50 g;
- sweet orange - 1 pc.;
- medium-sized lemon - 1 pc.;
- baking powder - a small bag;
- sea salt - a pinch;
- good brandy, various spices (eg ginger, ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg), glaze - use for decoration.
Cooking basics
Christmas apple pie, the recipe of which we are considering, is baked quite quickly. But before you place this dessert in the oven, you should carefully replace the base.
Sandless raisins are sorted, washed thoroughly and poured with boiling water. Then it is laid out in a deep bowl and pour 30-50 ml of brandy. In this form, it is left for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, all kinds of nuts and dark chocolate are crushed. They are laid out in a bowl, add soaked raisins (along with brandy), various spices and candied fruits.
After the described steps, beat all the chicken eggs, and then add softened cooking oil and granulated sugar to them. Having received a homogeneous mass, spread it to a mixture of dried fruits, add freshly squeezed juice from orange and lemon.
Having mixed the sifted flour, salt and baking powder in a separate container, they are laid out to the base and mixed thoroughly. The output is a fragrant and viscous dough.
Baking process
To bake a traditional Christmas cake, use a deep detachable shape. It is lubricated with oil, and then slices of peeled and sour-sweet apples peeled and laid out. After that, all previously kneaded dough is poured into the dishes. In this form, it is placed in the oven and baked for 40 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.
We serve to the table
Now you know how to make a Christmas cake. The recipe for this dessert is good for those who like a classic birthday cake.
After the fragrant biscuit is baked, it is carefully removed from the mold and placed on the torte. At the same time, hot cake is immediately impregnated with 2-3 glasses of cognac and decorated with glaze. If desired, the finished product can be sprinkled with a spicy mixture consisting of ginger, ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Making an English holiday dessert
If you do not want to bother about what dessert to prepare for the festive table, then we suggest making an English Christmas cake. The recipe for this product we will consider right now. For him we need:
- shortbread cookies (it is better to purchase not weighted, but in packages) - about 500 g;
- good butter - about 250 g;
- undigested condensed milk - exactly 1 can;
- egg yolks - from 3 eggs;
- boneless fleshy prunes - about 200 g;
- soft dried apricots - about 200 g;
- brown seedless raisins - approximately 100 g;
- peeled walnuts - about 100 g;
- peeled almonds - about 100 g;
- good quality cognac - approximately 100 ml.
Cooking process
Such a cake is being prepared quite quickly. Shortbread biscuits are crushed to a crumb, and then soft butter is added to it and thoroughly kneaded. The resulting base is laid out in a mold and rammed. Then it is placed in the oven and baked at 180 degrees for ¼ hour. Meanwhile, egg yolks are mixed with condensed milk and whisk them strongly. The finished cream is spread on top of the baked cake (cool slightly). Also, with a blender, all dried fruits and nuts are crushed. Cognac is added to them, mixed and insisted for half an hour. Then the ingredients are placed on top of the condensed milk and again put the cake in the oven, but for 36-47 minutes.
This dessert is prepared until it thickens and sets. After that, it is cooled and decorated at its discretion.
Christmas cake "Stolen": a step by step recipe
The Dresden Christmas cake "Stolen" is perhaps one of the most complicated and expensive holiday desserts. To cook it successfully, you should try very hard.
So what components do we need to make a delicious and tender German Christmas cake? The recipe for this cake requires the use of:
- almonds, ground into flour - about 100 g;
- crushed almonds - about 75 g;
- raisins of dark pitted - 125 g;
- raisins light pitted - 100 g;
- dried cherries (can be frozen or fresh) - about 50 g;
- candied lemon - 100 g;
- candied orange - about 100 g;
- vanilla sugar - not more than 1 sachet;
- zest from fresh lemon - from 1 fruit;
- high-quality rum - about 5 large spoons;
- sifted flour - about 500 g;
- fast yeast - about 4 g;
- white sugar - about 100 g;
- whole fresh milk - 140 ml;
- butter - about 250 g for dough and about 100 g for decoration;
- egg yolk - 1 pc.;
- sea salt - 1/3 dessert spoon;
- icing sugar - about 150 g.
Making the base for the cake
Exactly one day before the preparation of the Christmas cake, all acquired dried fruits, nuts and candied fruits are carefully sorted, washed and chopped into fairly large crumbs. Then they are placed in a deep bowl, filled with high-quality rum, mixed well, tightly closed with a lid and left at room temperature. For 24 hours, all the ingredients should swell a little and completely soak in a fragrant alcoholic drink.
The next day, begin to prepare the basis for the cake. For this, wheat flour is sieved several times. Having laid it on a flat surface, make a small hole in the center of the product, and then put quick yeast into it and sprinkle them with a pinch of granulated sugar. Then, slightly warmed milk is poured into the ingredients.
Leaving the food alone for a few minutes, wait until the yeast disperses well. After that, a little salt and soft butter are added to the ingredients. Finally, all components are thoroughly mixed. The output is a fairly smooth and flexible dough. It is covered with a clean towel and left in a warm place. When the base doubles exactly, it is crushed with hands and mixed with candied fruits, nuts and dried fruits, infused with rum. Then the dough is again left aside (for about 20-25 minutes).
The process of forming and baking in the oven
The suitable base is laid out on the table and sprinkled with wheat flour. It is rolled out in the form of a thick rectangle with sides of 30 by 40 centimeters. Then the base is folded twice along the long side and moved into a split mold pre-lined with baking paper. In this form, the test is given a distance of about 1/4 hour. After this time, it is put in the oven and baked at a temperature of 190-200 degrees for 40 minutes.
Presenting to the festive table
After the Stolen Christmas dessert is baked, it is carefully removed from the mold and placed on a flat dish. Then the hot cake is greased with melted cooking oil and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cutting the dessert into portioned pieces, it is presented to guests with a cup of black tea.