Food & Drink

Time to make the Christmas cake cake Prep: 25 mins Cook: 2 hrs and 10 mins Plus cooling time Plus cooling time Cuts into 12-15 slices Cuts into 12-15 slices Bake this festive fruit cake in advance of Christmas and feed it regularly with rum, brandy or whisky to build the avour and keep it moist.

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Ingredients

• 1kg mixed dried fruit (use a mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries, cranberries, prunes or gs) • zest and juice 1 orange • zest and juice 1 lemon • 150ml brandy, Sherry, whisky or rum, plus extra for feeding • 250g pack butter, softened • 200g light soft brown sugar • 175g plain our • 100g ground almond • ½ tsp baking powder • 2 tsp mixed spice • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • ¼ tsp ground cloves • 100g aked almonds • 4 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

n STEP 1 Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat. n STEP 2 Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins. n STEP 3 Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside – tie with string to secure. n STEP 4 Add 175g plain our, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g aked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of our. n STEP 5 Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs. n STEP 6 Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. n STEP 7 To store, peel o the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling lm. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it. n STEP 8 Don’t feed the cake for the nal week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.

No-bake raspberry cheesecake

Prep: 30 mins No cook; plus 6 hrs chilling time Serves: 10 - 12

Customise our raspberry cheesecake by adding white chocolate, yogurt or mascarpone, or, for a richer base, swap the digestive biscuits for shortbread.

Ingredients

• 300g digestive biscuits • 100g unsalted butter, melted • 500g full-fat soft cheese • 100g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 300ml double cream • 300g raspberries •icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method

n STEP 1 Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or tip into a food bag and bash to ne crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until the mixture looks like damp sand. Tip the buttery crumbs into a 20cm springform tin and press into the base using the back of a spoon until you have a smooth, even layer. Chill until needed. n STEP 2 Tip the soft cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cream into a bowl and beat using an electric whisk until thick and creamy. Fold in about twothirds of the raspberries, pressing the berries lightly against the side of the bowl as you do to squeeze out some of their juices and lightly ripple the cream. n STEP 3 Scrape the cheesecake mixture over the chilled base and smooth the top with a spatula. Chill for at least 6 hrs, or preferably overnight. Can be made up to two days ahead and chilled. To serve, carefully remove from the tin, scatter with the remaining raspberries and dust with icing sugar, if using.