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FRUITCAKES LOVE RAISINS

Tips on fruit cakes

1. Before baking with dried fruit, cover it with brandy and set aside for 24 hours.
2. Toast nuts to bring out the flavor and add color. Put in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring to brown evenly. Remove form pan as soon as nuts are brown.
3.To store any rich fruit cake or pudding, wrap first in parchment paper, then in foil, place in an airtight container and store in a cool place. Never wrap directly in foil.
4.Fruit cakes are easier to cut when cold

Tips for dried fruit
1 To prevent dried peel or fruit from sticking to your knife as you chop them, dip your knife in boiling water every now and then.
2. If adding glacé cherries to a cake mix, wash them first under running water, pat dry and coat them with flour.
This stops them from settling to the bottom of the cake.
3. If you don't want to use alcohol to soak your fruits, alternatives include cold tea or fruit juice.
4 Speed up the soaking process by placing the fruit in a bowl, covering with a little alcohol and microwaving on a high heat for 30 to 60 seconds. Cool, then use.
5. Dried dates can sometimes by hard to chop specially when bought as a compact slab. To soften, put them in the microwave on low to about 30 seconds.
6. With rich fruit cakes, it is important to "feed" the cake with brandy after baking. Prick the top of the cake with a fork or skewer, then pour 1 to 2 tablespoons over the top. This should be done every week until ready for icing.

Rich in iron and fiber, the candylike dried grapes have been festive fare since antiquity and are especially treasured in fruitcakes for the moistness they retain.

SEEDLESS RAISINS are dried Thompson seedless grapes. When sundried, the raisins are shriveled and dark. For plumper, moister golden raisins, the grapes are treated to retain their light color, then dried with artificial heat. These are excellent all-purpose raisins.

SEEDED RAISINS are mechanically seeded dried muscat grapes. These raisins are many bakers favorite to be used in fruitcakes.

SULTANAS, made from the grapes of the same name, are stickier, softer and sweeter than Thompson seedless raisins and golden in color. Aromatic and flavorful, with and almost mushy texture, they are used in baked goods.

CURRANTS are tiny almost black, sun-dried seedless Zante or Corinth grapes. Their tart sweetness and firm texture make currants popular in dark fruitcakes and pastries.

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