This morning I got an inquiry from an English friend who now lives in Palm Springs, California and she needed a recipe for Royal Icing to finish off her Christmas cakes, so here is a recipe and some other tips for last minute fixings for The Christmas Holidays:
Icing a "British" Christmas Cake
Marzipan or almond paste:
This is great for rich fruit cakes, small petit fours and at Easter for Simnel Cake
1/2 pt / 1/12 cups
2 pounds / 4 cups white sugar
heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan, and reduce down by 1/4, allow to cool down completely.
Add
1 pound / 2 cups finely ground raw almonds
3 medium egg yolks (at room temp)
1 tsp almond extract
Make 5-6 pounds finished product
knead well until smooth on a wooden board, adding powdered sugar as necessary to avoid marzipan becoming oily.
form into 3 balls or squares depending on cakes , slightly flatten &
cover well in cling wrap ..allow flavors to "bloom" overnight at cool room temp. do not refrigerate.
For the Simnel cake the Marzipan is baked in the center of the cake and also used as decoration for the top, with small balls to rep. the Disciples
For decorating baked fruit cakes...make sure the fruit cake is cold and the surface is somewhat flat.
Brush off any crumbs on the surfaces to be covered.
If covering the cake on all sides...top and sides.
Roll out a long piece to coat the sides first, on parchment or waxed paper ( to keep the surface of the marzipan clean)
Measure it by roiling the cake along the piece , like a tire, to have enough length to cover the sides.
Warm some apricot jam in a thick bottomed pan, and strain it into a bowl.
With a large pastry brush or new, unused paint brush, brush the sides of the cake with the sieved jam and roll onto the marzipan, firmly, allowing the "tire" to be lifted onto the cake.
Place the side-covered cake on to a flat surface/platter or cake stand, and clean the board of crumbs and left over marzipan. Throw out the used paper.
Roll out a second piece of marzipan, using powdered sugar onto a new sheet of waxed or parchment paper large enough to cover the top of the cake allowing for the extra size of the marzipan covered sides.
Brush the top of the cake with more sieved apricot jam, and firmly set the cake on top of the marzipan, press down well.
Allow the marzipan to be set on the cake.
After 20 mins. , using a thick spatula or table knife, go around the top side of the marzipan pushing it flat against the surface of the marzipan side to make an even joint.
When completed, carefully upright the cake, and remove the waxed or parchment paper.
Set the cake on a flat base, and allow the marzipan to dry out for 48-72 hours in a cool dry place, brushing the surface clean of any crumbs or excess powdered sugar.
The marzipan has to be dry before icing or the icing will not set up properly and the marzipan may show through as the almonds in the marzipan can become oily.
When the marzipan is dry it may be iced with Royal Icing:
1 pound/ 2 cups powdered/confectioners/icing sugar
2 large egg whites beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
1 drop ( 1/16th tsp) blue coloring ( optional for bright white icing)
Mix well with a wooden spoon in a large bowl, if making larger amounts with an electric mixer, place the beaten icing in large bowl and cover with a wet, clean cotton tea towel for minimum 4 hours to allow the air bubbles to escape.
The best bet is to make the icing the day before and keep it overnight in a cool place ( Not refrigerated) covered with a wet tea towel and cling wrap, to allow the air to escape...any air in the icing will result in a broken surface when icing the cake.
Without the blue coloring the icing will be ivory colored not bright white and with the blue coloring a little goes a long way, use minute amounts.
The icing has to be kept away from any grease, or it won't dry properly.
Frost the cakes by using a flattened metal spatula, as you would any cake.
This icing is particularly good piped using several different tips.
Once the cake top and sides have been covered in a smooth topping this should dry at least overnight before adding piped decorations.
And the icing can be kept well in a clean, grease free bowl with a wet tea towel on top.
Sometimes cakes are topped twice allowing the icing to dry out between the layers.
Sometimes the cakes are marzipan ed and iced on the tops only, the sides being covered with a cake frill ( available in specialist cake stores).
This Royal Icing sets very stiff and hard.
For a softer Royal Icing you may add 2 tsp. liquid clear glycerin, which I remember was available at the Pharmacy stores in the old days..now available online in special cake decorating supply stores.
A quick Christmas Plum Pudding like Dessert...
find a good rich, dried fruit cake..store bought, cut into slices or wedges and saute in unsalted butter, add either brandy, rum or whisky and set on fire, serve immediately with powdered sugar and whisky nutmeg sauce ( see my blog dated Dec 9th Quick Faux Christmas Pudding recipes and ideas)
For a great drink at the Holidays see my blog "Nov 8th Ideas for the holidays"... for the best and simplest Irish Cream Liqueur at home..better than anything bought commercially and you know what's in it.
When I lived on Ibiza I had to grind the almonds by hand, ( and sometimes the confectioner's sugar) and making the Christmas cakes there became a 6 month affair as most of the dried fruit and almonds were local grown.
I had to make my own candied peels as the Spanish kind were either not sweet enough or too sweet, and that is what I have kept doing all these years since.
There is no comparison between the fresh and vibrant taste of own made candied peel..it is too late to make it for Christmas but I will give the recipe for it in Spring, when the good oranges and lemons are sweet I hope your Holidays are happy, safe and healthy, GOOD LIFE
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