TheBanyanTree: Jonesing for Fruitcake

[JNorton]

Okay, send me your address and I'll mail you the best fruit cake you 
ever ate: mine! I'll even share the recipe! I have converted fruit 
cake haters into addicts. I have a bit left from Christmas--I made 4 
batches divided up into loaves of varying sizes, as well as one big 
one.

Jena, Full Moon Warrior Princess
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Pingleton" <pingleto at gmail.com>
To: <thebanyantree at remsset.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 1:48 PM
Subject: TheBanyanTree: Jonesing for Fruitcake


:I am, and have been, a man in search of fruitcake.  Winter rolls
: around, and the same old tired jokes about fruitcake make the 
rounds.
: The fruitcake circling the globe like a chain letter, being passed
: from person to person.  Fruitcake doorstops, fruitcake boat anchors.
: You get the idea that nobody likes the stuff.
:
: Last year I bought this overpriced little loaf at the local grocery
: store.  It was chock full of candied fruit and had a metallic tang 
to
: it.  It was not good fruitcake, but I ate it anyway.  What can I 
say,
: I was desperate.  Where could I get something like Grandma used to
: make?
:
: This year I decided to find a good fruitcake recipe and make my own.
: How hard could it be?  It turned out that it wasn't very difficult,
: but it was a bit expensive.  Dried fruit ain't cheap, and dried
: blueberries were nowhere to be found - I decided to scrap the idea
: until I happened on a small supply at the local health food store. 
I
: ended up going to three different stores to round up everything I
: needed, including small amounts of whole spices and candied ginger.
:
: So I made a double batch of fruitcake, using a recipe I found on the
: Food Network web site.  An Alton Brown recipe, for those of you who
: like Alton (I do).  I ended up with two big loaves and one small 
one.
: Lots of fruitcake, and me the only one in the house jonesing for the
: stuff.    But fruitcake should be eaten and fruitcake should be 
given,
: and so I gave one loaf to a friend.  I gave it to her on a Friday 
and
: she called me on Monday.  "I ate the whole thing!" she said.  "I had
: some for breakfast, then I had I had some for lunch, and more after
: dinner, and by Sunday evening it was gone.  I couldn't stop!"  I
: understood.  Fruitcake can have that effect on you.  I managed to 
make
: my fat loaf and skinny loaf last two weeks.  This recipe was simply
: exquisite - the flavors are complex and varied, rich and strong.
:
: So here's the recipe without further ado.  I expect I'll make four
: loaves next year and share the love again with fellow fruitcake
: freaks.
:
: FRUITCAKE (courtesy of Alton Brown)
:
: 1 cup golden raisins
: 1 cup currants
: 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
: 1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
: 1/2 cup sun dried cherries
: 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
: Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
: Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
: 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
: 1 cup gold rum
: 1 cup sugar
: 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
: 1 cup unfiltered apple juice
: 4 whole cloves, ground
: 6 allspice berries, ground
: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
: 1 teaspoon ground ginger
: 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
: 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
: 1 teaspoon baking soda
: 1 teaspoon baking powder
: 2 eggs
: 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
: Brandy for basting and/or spritzing
:
: Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and
: macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
: Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter,
: apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then
: reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and 
cool
: for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point,
: then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room
: temperature before completing cake.)
: Heat oven to 325 degrees.
: Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring
: batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at 
a
: time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a
: 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness 
by
: inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out
: clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
: Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or
: spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning 
out
: from pan.
: When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe
: container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with
: brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next 
two
: weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the
: recipient that they are very lucky indeed.