Christmas cakes

It's now November and most of the village markets have closed for the winter season and will start again in March. I have now a few Christmas Fair to look forward to:

at the Ledgowan Hotel on 27th November, Strathpeffer Pavilion on 5th and 6th December, Dingwall Farmers Market on 12th December and on the same day at the Craft Fair at the Town House in Inverness (yes!! I am multi-tasking!!) and in Poolewe on 15th December.

Apart from the usual baking, I have baked a lot of Christmas cakes. I use mixed vine fruits,glace cherries, pineapple,papaya,peaches and pears. I steep the fruits in a strong tea, brandy and marmalade syrup for a few days and then bake the cakes in small tins. When they are cooked and while still warm, I feed them with more brandy and wrap them in parchment paper for a few weeks keeping on feeding them with booze.


Fruits soaking in the boozy syrup:



The cakes are out of the oven:

The cakes are ready to be covered in marzipan and icing:


And finally decorated:










Embossed icing painted with edible pearl dust

Ivy and berries

Christmas roses






I will add a few more pictures in the coming week.