Deliciously festive recipes that can be easily adapted to whatever you have handy in your storecupboard or fridge. Shop less, enjoy more!
Cherry and amaretto cake
PAGE 71
Crab and dill dip
PAGE 73
Fennel, sausage and ciabatta stuffing
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Zabaglione and fig trif le
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CHERRY AND AMARETTO CAKE
A sumptuous, extra-boozy fruit cake – though you can choose to make an alcohol-free version if you prefer (see ‘Anything goes’ box, below).
SERVES 12-16 V HANDS-ON TIME 45 mins TOTAL TIME 4 hrs 15 mins, plus soaking and cooling
◆ 2 x 125g packs dried morello cherries
◆ 300g mixed sultanas and jumbo raisins
◆ 250g dried prunes, diced
◆ 200g glacé cherries, roughly chopped
◆ zest and juice of 2 oranges
◆ 175ml amaretto liqueur, plus extra to feed
◆ 100g flaked almonds
◆ 250g soft butter, plus extra to grease
◆ 200g light brown sugar
◆ 4 medium eggs
◆ 150g plain flour
◆ 2 tsp ground mixed spice
◆ 2 tsp ground cinnamon
◆ ½ tsp ground nutmeg
◆ 100g ground almonds
◆ 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Put the dried fruit, glacé cherries and orange zest and juice into a large pan and stir over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until the juice begins to bubble. Remove from the heat, stir through the amaretto and cover. Leave for 2 hours or overnight, for the fruit to plump up.
2 Preheat the oven to 140°C, fan 120°C, gas 1. Spread out the flaked almonds on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden; leave to cool. Grease and line a deep 20cm, loose-based cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, making sure that it comes up at least 4cm above the top of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin in a couple of sheets of newspaper and secure with kitchen string. Cut another sheet of baking paper to cover the top, cutting a small circle in the centre for steam to escape during baking.
3 In your largest mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then sift over the flour and spices plus a pinch of salt. Tip in the ground and toasted almonds, the vanilla and the soaked fruits along with any liquid from the pan. Gently fold everything together, until just combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, making a dent in the centre of the mixture (to help create a flat top during baking).
4 Cover the top with the prepared baking paper and bake for about 3½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out almost clean (it may be slightly sticky but shouldn’t have any uncooked mixture on it). Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack, removing the base
