Christmas Cake

FlicketyB I wonder there is such a thing as almond-free marzipan? I'd have thought that by definition marzipan is made from almonds. I have made a Bakewell tart with ground rice or semolina instead of almonds but that had to be flavoured with almond essence.

That should read 'I wonder IF....'

Mishap if you look in the recipe section you'll find a Christmas cake recipe from Grandmanorm which I've made this year. It looks great although I haven't yet tasted it, however Jings recommends it highly

I have found plenty of recipes, they use semolina for the texture but you have to use almond or flavouring not almond essence or extract as the last two are derived from almonds. I have yet to locate flavouring that I can be sure is almond free, so I thought it might be easier to buy it, if I can locate anywhere that might supply it.

Given how many people, particularly children, have nut allergies, you would think it would be available. Until last year DGD showed no interest in traditional Christmas dishes with dried fruit, but then she started wanting to taste mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and we had to say 'no'. This year all are being made without nuts. The problem area is the marzipan.

Made my list and off to buy the ingredients in the morning. Trying completely new recipes this year as I have made the same one or two recipes for years and thought it was time to try a change

The Christmas cake was cooling on the kitchen table earlier. DH remarked 'that looks a bit black'

I use Delia Smith recipe for my Christmas cakes (made in the October half term). I made four this year, one for our Christmas, one for SiL birthday next week and 2 for a WI stall. Fruit soaked for 24 hrs in brandy and fed regularly. I also add dates in mine but left out nuts for the two to put on the stall and will decorate with dried fruits.
Flickety do you think there is a big increase in those with nut allergy? If so..anyone got a theory why?

You are all wonderful!!!

I have nevermade a successful Christmas cake. My SiL makes one for us as a present.

I think the incidence of food allergies, especially nut allergy has risen enormously. I cannot remember any child having broad spectrum food allergies when I or my children were young. Occasionally you might find someone who had problems with strawberries or eggs, but even that wasn't common.

There is a family history of drug allergies and over reactions and a doctor also tied it in with a family history of eczema and migraine. Both DGC have bad eczema, far worse than previous generations, but the generations below me do not seem to have a problem with migraine.

My daughter reckons it is because children are not exposed to so many bugs as years ago with the fashion for ultra cleanliness, therefore not encouraging their immune systems to mature. Well at least that is what she tells herself!!, as they play around on the floor with the dogs, hair and mud included! Mind you the GC have no allergies so perhaps her theory is right.

Without casting any aspersions on DS and DDiL, who are excellent parents, the children come before the housework and spend a lot of time outside grubbing in the garden. DGS is fascinated by slugs and snails ( puppy dog's tails, seem to have gone out of fashion, thank goodness).

I might add that DGS has no allergies at all.

Waitrose is selling a "kit" this year, I presume it includes all the ingredients. It send reasonable too - on sale:

www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-230983-Waitrose+Christmas+Cake+Kit

I might give it a go.

"send" has got nothing to do with me and everything to do with the Kindle.

granny ust saw that today in Waitrose reduce from £10 to £7. For a fleeting moment I thought about buying it but valiantly carried on with my own shopping list. Will start with the chutney tomorrow, next day the mincemeat then the pudding and lastly the cake

Busy week

I always make my Christmas cake and take it to my daughters. Mine is at marzipan stage. However, a neighbour came to my door this week and handed me a Christmas cake. I was so very touched as I only moved into the road 9 months ago. Apparently her husband makes lots each year and it really made me feel 'accepted'. What can I do in return?

Take a nice indoor plant arrangement round on Xmas Eve?

Don't do anything. It will destroy her pleasure in giving. Just accept gracefully and when you have started eating it just write her a note saying how much you are enjoying it. Appreciation is worth more than a return gift to the giver.

Thanks everyone, for cheering me up! I love fruit cake so decided to cook a Christmas cake and eat it all myself if I have to. Cooked mine yesterday, using a recipe from Delia, which I used a few years ago. Did all the wrapping with brown paper and paper on top.

But all the fruit on the edges has gone hard even though I took it out after only 4 hours (recipe said maybe leave for up to 4 hrs 45 mins. Yes, I've already started shaving bits off.

I always use Delia's Christmas cake recipe but since I got my "new" oven a couple of years ago I've found I need to check the cake after about 3 hours and it's usually done in 3 1/2 hours, unlike old oven. DH decided he wanted to make the cake last year and wouldn't check it until Delia said and it was rather dry. Ovens vary so rely on your sense of smell !

My late sister gave me a wonderful christmas cake recipe which I used for years. It was not quite as dark as the usual cakes and always came out well. Could I find it this year? I spent ages looking and then gave up and used a cookery book. A week after I had cooked the cake I found the recipe. I was tempted to make another but there's only actually DH and I that are that keen on it, so one is probably going to be quite enough. I decorate mine with nuts and glacé fruit but I have promised DG that he can put icing on this one. That'll be interesting!!

Any tips on how to stick the marzipan to the cake?

Baubles mentioned a cake in the recipe section. I'm not vey good at working my way round GN and though I have tried I can't find it. Can anyone tell me how to locate it please

petallus if you brush the cake with melted apricot jam - just a thin layer - the marzipan will stick to that.

Used a new recipe for my cake this year, smells divine but seems a bit puddingy on the base and I did it for more than the required time and the skewer came out clean so have to wait and see. Shall give it one more feed and then marzipan it perhaps the week after next.

Have also to make a gingerbread house. Do this every year for DGS's - one is 14 now and the other 10 so I asked if they thought they were too old the text came back "Never too old for a gingerbread house" Rod for own back comes to mind!!!