Yule Logs

Sugar High

The oh-so-sweet folks over at Sucré promise to raise your Christmas spirits with their bonhomous moist plum cake which comes riddled with spices and soaked in rum (or vice versa, as you will), promised to give you a cheery glow to give competition to St Nick. Priced at
Rs 800, contact Sucré on their Facebook page.

Dig in

Divin-e-licious takes the cake this holiday season with a range of Christmas-themed goodies. From Christmas Cake Pops (available in Red Velvet and Chocolate flavours, at Rs 150 a pop) to Christmas Cupcakes (flavours include Oreo, caramel, Snickers and are priced at Rs 1200 upwards for a set of six) to Chocolate Ganache Christmas Cakes (priced at Rs 1550 a kg). Available at http://www.divinelicious.com

Make Your Cake and Eat it Too: Christmas Plum Cake

This is a simple yet delicious Christmas cake recipe. Traditional European plum cakes do not have cashew nuts but they add a bit
of bite.

INGREDIENTS

# To soak in rum or brandy

Raisins or sultana – 200 gm
Red cherries – 100 gm
Tutty fruity – 100 gm
Ginger chips – 50 gm
Candied orange peel – 50 gm
Dates – 100 gm

# Powder the spices

Cinnamon – 5 gm
Nutmeg – 2 gm
Cardamom – 2 gm

# For the black jack

Sugar – 150 gm
Hot water – 50 ml

# For the cake

Sugar Powdered – 500 gm
Butter- cooking – 500 gm
Eggs – 10 gm
Baking powder – 5 gm
Flour – 500 gm
Vanilla Essence – 2 caps
Cashew – 100 gm
Milk – 50 ml

PROCEDURE

1. Soak the dried fruits in brandy or rum. Soaking could be done from three days to three months in advance. Store covered in a cool place or refrigerator till you are ready to bake.

2. For the blackjack, heat the sugar in a thick bottom pan until it caramelises to the dark colour you prefer. You need to ensure that the sugar does not burn. Add hot water and boil it until the sugar dissolves. This should give you a thick dark syrup, for a
rich colour.

3. Powder the spices, sieve along with maida and baking powder.

4. Mix together the powdered sugar and the butter (room temperature). Beat well.

5. When it starts to get fluffy slowly add the eggs one by one.

6. Keep whisking and scrape the sides until all the eggs are added.

7. Add the essence and milk. Mix together the fruits and the flour.

8. Add the flour mix to the butter mix. Fold together very gently. When it is almost mixed add the blackjack as required mix completely. Over mixing will make the cake hard.

9. Line the desired cake tins with butter and dusting of flour, pour the cake batter into them. Now arrange the cashew nuts on top.

10. Pre-heat the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.

11. Bake for around 35 minutes or till the cake is baked well.

12. Decorate the plum cake  with royal icing or with garnish  of choice.

Recipe Courtesy: Abhishek Basu, Executive Chef, The Park New Delhi