Old Fashioned Fruitcake

This light fruitcake contains only fruit and no spices.

Light, moist and packed with goodness.

Homemade fruitcake has been a tradition

 in my family for many years. 

After we left home, 

If we couldn't get home for Christmas,
My Mom would mail us a fruitcake.

Unfortunately My Mom is no longer with us
 and I don't have her recipe.

For the first time, this year, I made fruitcake.
I searched the net and this recipe 
seem to be the closest to my Mom's. 

I adapted this recipe from
thejoyofbaking.com.
This recipe makes one loaf.

Light Fruitcake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup candied mixed peel

1/2 cup each, red and green cherries, (cut in quarters)

1/3 cup dark raisins, sometimes,  
(I substitute the raisins for apricots finely chopped)
1/2 cup mixed fruit.

mixed fruit, apricots, green cherries,

red cherries and mixed peel. 

I found the mixed peel at MaxiPlus.

Optional
Soak the above fruit overnight,
or up to 2 days, 
at room temperature,
 in 2-3 tablespoons 
of  brandy, cherry,  or rum
for a more favourable cake,

and the liquor helps preserve 

the cake longer.

Apricot Brandy smells so nice.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup ground almonds 

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Zest of one small lemon
(I substitute the lemon for an orange)

1/4 cup milk.

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 deg. F
Oil your loaf pan, or
line with parchment paper.


Mix all the fruit together in a bowl.
(If you haven't soaked them in alcohol.)

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, 
ground almonds, baking powder,
 salt and lemon zest.


In another bowl with an electric mixer, 
beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time,
 beating well after each addition.
Beat in the extracts.
Add in all the fruit and juices.
Add half of the flour mixture just until incorporated.
Then add the milk and the remains flour mixture.

Spoon the mixture in the loaf pan, 
decorate the top with cherries or 
sliced almonds, if desired.
Bake 1 1/2hrs. or until a toothpick 
inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool
 on a wire rack for about 10 minutes
 before removing from the pan.

The cake does benefit from being stored
 a day or two before serving.

The cake can be covered and stored
 about a week at room temperature 
or it can be frozen.

It is delicious!!

Thanks for visiting my blog. xo

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas,
good health and happiness.

I also made a dark fruitcake this year.

 Dark, rich and moist, packed with dried fruit,

 candied fruits, nuts, molasses and spices. 
Click here to view.

It was a rewarding experience
 making these fruitcakes for the first time.
I understand my Mom's "labour of love"
and I'm grateful that she made this a family tradition. 

Thanks for your visit xo💖💗

Blueberry and Pear Crisp

After 15 years, my pear tree
 finally gave me some fruit.

I don't know why it took so long. 
They usually bear fruit the 2nd. year.
My sister Annie, threatened to cut it
down, if it didn't produce fruit,  this yr.
I think the tree understood the threat. 

Flemish Beauty Pears,

a Belgium pear, suitable for my colder region.

 juicy, crunchy, delicious fruit.

I tried this fruit dessert, 
 with a oatmeal topping,  and
 everyone loved it.

Very fast and easy to do.

Ingredients

4 pears

2 cups wild blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice

I peeled the pears and cut them up in large chunks.

2 cups blueberries.

I used frozen wild blueberries.

Preheat over to 350deg. F.

In a large bowl, mix together the pears,

the wild blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar,
 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tsp lemon juice.

Place in a square pan

For the topping

( I use Ricardo's recipe for the topping.)

1 1/4 cups Quick Oats

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter softened.

In a bowl, mix together the oats,
 flour and brown sugar.
Add the butter and mix until all moistened.

Place in the pan on top of the fruit mixture.

(Optional... sprinkle with cinnamon and almonds.)

Bake 350deg. F. for 45 minutes.

Delicious served with whipped-cream

 or ice-cream. 

Thanks for your visit xo

Thanks to Snickerdoodle Create, Bake

for featuring this blog.

French Apple Cake

I 

My Macintosh apple tree was very prolific this year.

Giving me lots of delicious apples

I used them in baking recipes, pies,
 apple sauce, muffins, preserves etc..

  giving a lot away, and

 feeding the deer that come along. 

I also make this French Apple Cake,

an elegant dessert with apples,

 butter and a hint of rum.

Fast to put together if you

have company coming. 

• 
  

• Ingredients:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt.

• 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar.
• 
  
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp dark rum
• 
  
• 2 baking apples, peeled,
•  cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes,
• (I used Macintosh)

• Confectioner's sugar (icing sugar) 
• for sprinkling over cooked cake.

• Instructions:

• I used a tube pan.
•  
• (Usually a spring-form pan
• is used for a french apple cake,
• I didn't have one on hand.)
• 
  
• Grease well and line the bottom 
• with parchment paper.

• Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

In  a bowl, whisk together the flour,
 baking powder and salt.

With a mixer,  cream the butter with
 sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time beating well 
and scraping down the sides of
 the bowl after each addition.

Beat in the vanilla and rum.

The batter will look grainy at this point.

Add the flour mixture and mix on 
low speed until just combined.

Fold in the chopped apples.

Place the batter into the prepared pan
 and smooth out the top.

Bake about 40 minutes or until
 the cake is golden and a toothpick
 inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool on a rack.

Run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake.

Carefully invert the cake on a plate.

Using a fine sieve, dust with confectioner's sugar.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Delicious!!

• Thanks for visiting my blog xo
• 
  

I 

Apple Oatmeal Muffins With Cinnamon Crumb Topping

It was a good year for apple crop.
I'm fortunate to have a Macintosh tree. 

These hearty healthy muffins

 are great for breakfast, 

snack or afternoon tea.
This recipe makes 12 large muffins.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk

2 large Mcintosh apples,
or 4 small apples, 
chopped up in small pieces

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter.



Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour,
 oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar,
 eggs, butter and milk.

Stir the flour mixture with the liquid mixture.

Stir in the apples. 

Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups, 

For the topping,
whist together the sugar, flour 
and cinnamon.
cut in the butter.

spoon on top of the muffins.

Bake about 20 minutes or
 when a toothpick inserted in the middle, 
comes out clean.




Cool in pan 5 minutes, 
then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!!

Thanks for visiting my blog xo

Thanks to

 Snickerdoodle Create Party,

for featuring this post.

Pumpkin Soup - Dairy Free

I have searched a lot of pumpkin soup
 recipes on the web and most of
 them are made adding cream or milk.
Since I am lactose intolerant,
I made my own recipe, dairy free,
 and I am sharing this

 delicious hearty soup.


Clean pumpkin removing the seeds
 and skin, and chop up in 1 inch pieces.

Ingredients
7-8 cups chopped pumpkin,

1 onion chopped

4 medium size potatoes 

peeled and diced

2 large carrot peeled and diced
1 celery stock chopped up.

2 garlic cloves crushed or chopped

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsley to serve (optional)

Combine all the above ingredients,
except the parsley,

 in a soup pot, 

bring to a boil, reduce heat to low 

and simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.

With hand blender, puree the soup, 

Or in a food processor or blender,

 puree in small batches, (1 cup at a time).

Reheat and pour soup in bowls
 and garnish with bacon bits or parsley.

Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread.

Thanks for your visit

💛💛💛