May Your Heart And Homes Be Filled With Every Joy And Gratitude The Season Brings

Merry Christmas And Blessings For A Healthier New Year

 

 

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

This year has been a tough and challenging one for all of us worldwide, being away from our families and dear ones and quieter celebrations.

However it is the perfect time to sit and reflect on this year that was.

A time to be grateful and express gratitude and thanks for all that this year has taught us.

YET

So Many Reasons To Be Thankful For:

We can be thankful to those who have shown us love and care and a shoulder to lean on during this chaotic times.

We are thankful for family and friends near and far, that keep in touch and bring us much joy and cheer through our telephone conversations.

We are thankful for Zoom to allow us to work from the comfort of our homes.

We are thankful to all all our frontline workers and health care providers who have risk their lives every day and continue to do so during this pandemic.

We are thankful for all our farmers, grocers and truckers that put food on our tables.

We are thankful for the safety of our family and friends and bow down in silence for those who may have lost a dear one and prayers for their grief.

We are thankful for Mother Nature and should take every step to protect her.

We our thankful that our son (a young adult now) choose to come and stay with us for sometime and that we are together as a family.

 

So let’s fill our hearts with gratitude, as one thing that 2020 has really taught us, is to count our blessings and to focus on things that really make one happy.

We will have a quiet celebration at home here in Toronto, as a Canada wide lockdown is soon to be imposed. Nevertheless we are all keeping our spirits high that this too shall pass.

As always I had soaked some fruits in some Jamaican rum about a month ago and went ahead and made a couple of my christmas cakes that the family will enjoy on Christmas day. I usually bake up a lot more for friends too, but this year it’s going to be difficult to send them across.

Will leave you with my recipe on that note.

Stay safe And healthy and wish you all a blessed holiday season.

 

 

 

Some Tips For Baking This Christmas Cake:

• Soak all your fruits in rum or brandy at least a month in advance.

• Keep feeding the fruits if the fruits look dry after 1 week.

• Drain the liquid from the fruit before adding to the batter.(Reserve for later)

• Line your cake tin on the sides and at the bottom with brown paper or parchment paper.

• It’s at a low temperature and takes about 2.5 hours so don’t hurry the baking.

• Half way through the baking cut a circle of brown paper to fit the top of the cake tin. Make a small hole in the center for steam to escape.

• Once cooled, use the reserved liquid from the fruit to feed into the cake by piercing the top of the cake with a toothpick.

• I use less amount of the molasses/ treacle as prefer a lighter brown colour. But it’s up to you if you want it darker.

 

Christmas Cake

(Makes One 8 Inch Cake)

Ingredients:

· 400 grams Black raisins

· 300 grams (mix of golden raisins/ mixed peel/ black currants)

· 100 grams glazed cherries (finely chopped)

.100 grams chopped walnuts (optional)

· 300 grams butter (softened)

· 200 grams brown sugar

· 300 grams all purpose flour

· 6 eggs

· 1 tsp baking powder

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

· Juice of one orange

· 1 tablespoon molasses or treacle

Directions:

· Pre soak the fruits in dark rum or brandy a month in advance.

· Pre heat the Oven at 150 C.

· Line a 8 inch cake tin with parchment paper at the base and around the inner rim of the cake tin. Sieve together flour, baking powder and cinnamon powder together and keep aside. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and brown sugar. Cream together till it is fluffy.

· Add in eggs, little at a time; continue whipping on high speed till it is well combined. Scrape down the sides and repeat till all the eggs are added and well combined.

· Add the orange juice.

· Fold in the mixed fruit and gently fold all the ingredients.

· Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin making sure there are no air pockets.

· Bake in preheated oven for 2 to 2 ½ Hours or until done.

· Half way through the baking cover the cake with some parchment paper to prevent burning of the cake.