[daddymatty82]

Has any one got a good easy fool proof way of making boiled fruitcake(more traditional the better) my dad used to make them a few yrs ago and only today i have really fancied fruitcake. and as its nearly pumpkin time i want to have a go at making pumpkin pie. I only tried it once many yrs ago and loved it so i just want to see if i can make one myself. i know there's loads of recipe's for both but i would like a unique sort of one. if its easier for someone to post me an email with recipe etcgive me a shout and il pm my email

[dyedinthewool]

 

Best boiled cake recipe ever;

8 oz S.R. Flour
1 rounded teaspoon of mixed Spice
1 level teaspoon of Ground/fresh grated Nutmeg
pinch Salt
2 Eggs
1/2 Level teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda
1/4 pint plus 2 Tablespoons Milk
5 oz Butter
6 Level Tablespoons of Golden Syrup (weight would be 5oz)
4 oz Chopped Dates
8 oz Raisons
8oz Currants
4oz Sultanas
4oz mixed peel or Cherries

Method
Butter and line 7" tin

Put Butter, Syrup, fruit, Peel/Cherries, and milk into a HEAVY bottom saucepan. I use my pressure cooker bottom. Heat slowly until butter is melted - simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally - don't let it burn!!!
Remove and cool.
Beat eggs in separate basin/jug.
In LARGE bowl combine flour, salt, spices; make a well in the centre.
Add EGGS DO NOT STIR.

Stir bi-carb into cooled fruit mixture in pan (it will fizz and bubble up - reason for LARGE PAN)
add to dry ingredients mix throughly and beat well.
Turn into tin.
Bake for approx 1& 3/4 hrs at 170c (fan oven 150c) 325F Gas Mark 3

The cake eats better if kept for a few days...!!

It's called Granny's High Tea Cake

I've been making it for 'yonks' it will cover for a quick Christmas Cake if you haven't had the time to make a Traditional one.

Would love to try a pumpkin pie sound real scrumptious.

[SallyintNorth]

Has any one got a good easy fool proof way of making boiled fruitcake(more traditional the better) my dad used to make them a few yrs ago and only today i have really fancied fruitcake.

Not boiled but starts in a saucepan and is totally foolproof:

Easy Fruit Cake
(totally foolproof)

12 oz dried fruit
4 oz sugar (caster or granulated or soft brown all work; demerara not quite as good - cake more crumbly)
4 oz butter (marg ok but it's best with butter)

Melt the above together in a pan, simmer gently for 20 mins, cool.

Beat an egg and stir in.

Stir in 8 oz self-raising flour.

Pour / dollop into 6" or 7" non-stick or greased-and-floured cake tin, cook at 160 deg C (a bit less if a fan oven) for about an hour until skewer comes out clean.

Mistakes you can make which do not affect the end result much if at all:

• leave the mix simmering for about an hour
• forget to cool the mix before adding the egg
• forget to beat the egg before stirring it in
• cook too hot or too cool by up to 15 C - so long as you check after 50 mins and work to the clean skewer it's fine

(I speak from experience!   )

I'm not sure whether you can combine the mistakes with impunity...

It tastes brilliant, like a much more complicated recipe with lots of spices and so on.

[melodrama]

I always use a similar recipe to the one below for a "clootie dumpling".  I sometimes play around with it and will put in different fruit, syrup as well as treacle etc.  Once you know the consistency it needs to be its usually ok.

1lb self-raising flour
1lb raisins
1/2lb suet
3 tspns mixed spice
1/2lb granulated sugar
1 tspn baking soda
3 tbspns treacle
1/2 tspn salt
milk

Mix everything together with enough milk to make a stiff dough.  Get your teatowel/cloth/etc and scald it in boiling water and place in a large bowl.  Cover with flour to coat (this forms the skin but not too much flour).  Spoon in the mix and leaving a bit of space for swelling tie securely at the top ( I always leave enough string to tie it onto the handle/lid, it makes it easier when removing it).  Put an upside down plate in a large pan and put the dumpling mix in and fill with boiling water to cover.  Simmer for at least 3 hours - you'll need to keep checking it and topping it up.  When you take it out, put it back into the bowl to untie it and turn out onto a heated plate.  You can then either leave it to dry or place in a low oven to dry the outside. 

This is great as a cake and is always loved at Christmas but it is also magic fried up with some eggs and bacon.

Melanie

[ellisr]

I always use a similar recipe to the one below for a "clootie dumpling".  I sometimes play around with it and will put in different fruit, syrup as well as treacle etc.  Once you know the consistency it needs to be its usually ok.

1lb self-raising flour
1lb raisins
1/2lb suet
3 tspns mixed spice
1/2lb granulated sugar
1 tspn baking soda
3 tbspns treacle
1/2 tspn salt
milk

Mix everything together with enough milk to make a stiff dough.  Get your teatowel/cloth/etc and scald it in boiling water and place in a large bowl.  Cover with flour to coat (this forms the skin but not too much flour).  Spoon in the mix and leaving a bit of space for swelling tie securely at the top ( I always leave enough string to tie it onto the handle/lid, it makes it easier when removing it).  Put an upside down plate in a large pan and put the dumpling mix in and fill with boiling water to cover.  Simmer for at least 3 hours - you'll need to keep checking it and topping it up.  When you take it out, put it back into the bowl to untie it and turn out onto a heated plate.  You can then either leave it to dry or place in a low oven to dry the outside. 

This is great as a cake and is always loved at Christmas but it is also magic fried up with some eggs and bacon.

Melanie

Now that takes me back to being a kid, if I served that to my friends in the south I think they would freak out

[melodrama]

I always use a similar recipe to the one below for a "clootie dumpling".  I sometimes play around with it and will put in different fruit, syrup as well as treacle etc.  Once you know the consistency it needs to be its usually ok.

1lb self-raising flour
1lb raisins
1/2lb suet
3 tspns mixed spice
1/2lb granulated sugar
1 tspn baking soda
3 tbspns treacle
1/2 tspn salt
milk

Mix everything together with enough milk to make a stiff dough.  Get your teatowel/cloth/etc and scald it in boiling water and place in a large bowl.  Cover with flour to coat (this forms the skin but not too much flour).  Spoon in the mix and leaving a bit of space for swelling tie securely at the top ( I always leave enough string to tie it onto the handle/lid, it makes it easier when removing it).  Put an upside down plate in a large pan and put the dumpling mix in and fill with boiling water to cover.  Simmer for at least 3 hours - you'll need to keep checking it and topping it up.  When you take it out, put it back into the bowl to untie it and turn out onto a heated plate.  You can then either leave it to dry or place in a low oven to dry the outside. 

This is great as a cake and is always loved at Christmas but it is also magic fried up with some eggs and bacon.

Melanie

Now that takes me back to being a kid, if I served that to my friends in the south I think they would freak out

Its funny actually, my inlaws are from South of the border and I wasn't sure how they would take it when I first made it for them but they all loved it!  A clootie dumpling was always my favourite part of any occassion because my granny used to make it for every single one.  We used to fight over who got the most skin haha

[SallyintNorth]

I always use a similar recipe to the one below for a "clootie dumpling".  ...
Melanie

Now that takes me back to being a kid, if I served that to my friends in the south I think they would freak out

Try 'tm ellisr - you might be surprised.  Don't tell 'em what it is until after they've tasted it, though! 

Remember I used to be a Southerner... and I had my first clootie dumpling in Orkney about a year ago - and I LOVEd it!  Mind, I'm actually from the West Midlands originally, so I also love mushy peas, bread pudding, dripping-on-a-crust and other so-called northern dishes.

[ellisr]

Well I'm northumbrian so like good stick to the ribs food.

The guys at work down here worry if they eat a grape over there daily allowance and then scould themselves severely for it

Give me mince with leek pudding anyday and a good side serving of apple pie and double cream