A new challenge for me, a egg free Christmas Cake.. well I’ve made a start, I found this recipe for Spiced Brandy on http://piginthekitchen.blogspot.com/ which I will be feeding the cake with.. Ok, maybe Brandy isn’t the most economical item in my shopping list, but I think its worth every penny, a Christmas Cake without booze is a sorry thing.. and the cake will last and feed lots of hungry people.. trouble is it tastes so good, it might not last long enough for the cake!
ingredients
500ml Brandy
3-4 star anise
2-3 mace blades
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla pod
1-2 tsps of sugar
method
To make the spiced brandy, put 500ml of brandy into a saucepan. Add the star anise, the mace blades, the cinnamon sticks. Split the vanilla pod, scrape the seeds into the brandy and then add the split pod. Heat it slowly and let it bubble for about a minute. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When completely cold pour it into a bottle / preserving jar and push all the spices in as well. You may have to cut the star anise in half to get it through the neck of a bottle, but not to worry. You now have brandy to make the cake, feed the cake and to swig at stressful moments of the Yuletide Season. You can remove the spices after about a month, or leave them in for a very spicy drink.
Today’s illustration © Lois Blackburn. www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more.
No comments:
Post a Comment