I know what you’re thinking… “Shame on you!”
I was supposed to post on Sunday but it turned out that I had no internet connection until midnight.
…and posting on midnight is not the best time to use my head.
So here I am, 2 days late but with something worth the wait – ooh that rhymed!
This month I’ll be posting all things Christmas – my fave foody holiday.
Here’s a rich fruit cake that I made for last year’s Christmas, that I covered with fondant and marzipan.
It was my first time using fondant and marzipan and I loved it!
To make the fondant I used marshmallows. This is ideal for Fondant first timers, being easy to use and create.
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The classic fondant is made of gelatin and food-grade glycerine, which keeps the sugar pliable and creates that
dough-like consistency. Rolled fondant is rolled out like a pie crust and used to cover the cake, giving it a smooth
and professional appearance.
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal, a dough-like texture as fondant, its mostly
used to make small shapes for cake decorating.
So here it is, enjoy.
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INGREDIENTS:
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Cake
750g (1½ lb.) sultanas
250g (8 oz) raisins
125g (4 oz) currants
125g (4 oz) glace cherries
125g (4 oz) mixed peel
½ cup rum, brandy or sherry
250g (8 oz) butter
11/3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 tsp grated lemon rind
4 eggs
2 tbsp marmalade
2½ cups plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
pinch salt
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Marzipan
4 ½ cups pure icing sugar
2 ¼ cups ground almonds or almond meal
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp sweet sherry
1 tbsp lemon juice
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Marshmallow Fondant
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows
2 to 5 tbsp water
2 lbs icing sugar
½ cup shortening/margarine (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)
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DIRECTIONS:
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Cake
Chop all fruit, place in large basin, add rum, brandy or sherry, cover, stand few hours or overnight.
Line deep 23cm (9 in.) round cake tin or 19cm (7½ in.) or 20cm (8 in.) square tin with two thicknesses
of greaseproof paper, bringing paper 5cm (2 in.) above edge of tin.
Cream butter until soft, add brown sugar, beat until just combined; add orange and lemon rind.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, add marmalade.
Place creamed mixture into large basin, add fruit mixture and sifted dry ingredients alternately, mix thoroughly.
Place mixture into prepared tin, bake in slow oven 3 to 3½ hours to until cooked when tested.
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Marzipan
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the ground almonds, mix thoroughly and make a well in the center.
Beat the egg yolks, sweet sherry and lemon juice together, pour into icing sugar mixture and gradually work
into a firm smooth paste with one hand, kneading well.
Lightly sprinkle a board or work bench with a little extra icing sugar, lift the mixture onto the board and knead
with both hands to a firm smooth dough-do not add too much extra icing sugar unless the dough is very soft.
Cover tightly until ready to use, the re-knead gently before rolling out and applying to the cake as required.
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Marshmallow Fondant
Melt marshmallows and 2 tbsp of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30
seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and
continue doing this until melted.
It usually takes about 2 minutes. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.
Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY – palms, backs and in between fingers, then heavily grease the counter
you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.
Start kneading like you would bread dough.
Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more.
Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant is sticking.
If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about ½ tbsp at a time then knead it in).
It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when
you apply it to the cake.
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Assembling it all
Brush sides and top of cake with lightly beaten egg white. roll out 2/3 of the marzipan into
a long strip and use to cover sides of cake.
Roll out remaining marzipan into a square/circle, the shape of the top of your cake and carefully
lift onto cake with a rolling pin.
Smooth top and sides of cake, sealing edges by pressing the marzipan together, using a little egg white if necessary.
Brush the top of the whole marzipan with egg whites.
Now smooth the condant over top and sides of cake, rubbing corners and edges well. Cut off excess fondant.
Use your left over fondant and marzipan to create decorations using a cookie cutter and more egg whites to stick.
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