One thing that we’ve noticed over the years is that food plays such an important role our in lives and not just for fuel but for entertaining and providing us with fond memories too.
We’ve chatted to some of Ireland’s well-known faces and eateries to discover their favourite dishes and meals, be it from their childhood or simply something they like to rustle up at home.
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This week, we’re chatting to Arun Kapil, chef and food entrepreneur of Green Saffron.
Arun Kapil is an Anglo-Indian chef, food entrepreneur, spice expert, and founder of Green Saffron, the multi-award-winning purveyors of the finest spices, rice, sauces and spice blends, based in Cork.
Fresh Spice is the name of Arun Kapil’s first cookbook, published by Pavilion Books and jam packed with original, mouth-watering recipes to get the best use out of good-quality spices.
Taking this last minute (but still delicious!) inspiration from his book, we bring you a Christmas cake that will pack a punch while keeping even the fussiest of eaters happy over the festive season:
“This festive recipe is based on Mum’s Christmas cake and a Caribbean fruit cake made by a friend. Don’t be put off by the amount of alcohol or the length of time the fruit is steeped in it; it’s really easy to make and you’ll have all the bottles ready for next year; do use the best-quality ingredients.
“Rather than icing the cake, I prefer to toast the almond paste, which gives a natural look. I might decorate the serving plate with holly and baubles. Anyway, this is really fun to make, but remember to give yourself enough time and try not to rush things. You need to start the first step at least one week before you want to bake the cake; once baked, it will keep for at least three months in an airtight container. Good luck and enjoy!”
Ingredients
Makes 1 cake,
or about 24 servings
To steep
- 50ml (2fl oz) cloudy, natural apple juice
- 4 tsp espresso or strong black coffee
- A dash Angostura bitters
- 50g (1¾oz) blanched almonds
- 2 vanilla pods, split lengthways
- 250g (9oz) raisins
- 250g (9oz) sultanas
- 250g (9oz) currants
- 125g (4½oz) sour cherries
- 115g (4oz) natural glacé cherries, halved
- 125g (4½oz) candied orange and lemon, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Mixed Spice blend
- ½ tsp black peppercorns, finely ground
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 50g (1¾oz) black treacle
- 50ml (2fl oz) brandy
- 50ml (2fl oz) Grand Marnier
- 2 tbsp kirsch
- 2 tbsp Madeira
For the cake
- 300g (10½oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 250g (9oz) dark muscovado sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 250g (9oz) self-raising flour
- 115g (4oz) cooking apples, such as Bramley, peeled, cored and grated
- Finely grated zest of ½ orange
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- 2–3 tbsp Grand Marnier
Method:
1. One week before you’re going to bake the cake, measure out the apple juice, coffee and bitters into a large saucepan. Put the almonds in a small pan and dry-toast them over a medium heat until golden. Roughly chop, then add to the pan. Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pods. Add the pods and seeds to the pan. Add the remaining steeping ingredients, but NOT any of the alcohol, ticking off each item on the list as you add it.
2. Stir everything to combine, then put the pan over a low heat and cover. Stirring frequently, allow to cook very gently for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, give everything another quick stir, then set the pan aside and allow the fruit to cool slightly for 1–2 minutes. Pour in the brandy, Grand Marnier, kirsch and Madeira, and stir once more.
4. Pour the mixture into a large sterilised jar with a lid, or an airtight plastic container. Put the jar in the fridge and leave for seven days, shaking or stirring it from time to time.
5. When you’re ready to bake the cake, grease a 20cm (8in) square cake tin, or 23cm (9in) round tin, and line it with a doubled sheet of baking parchment, cut so that it comes 2cm (3⁄4in) above the top of the tin. Then, measure and cut some brown paper (parcel paper is perfect) so that it wraps nicely around the outside of the tin. This should be much taller than the baking parchment, about 8cm (3¼in) above the top of the tin. Tie in place with kitchen string, and you’re ready to start baking.
1. Preheat the oven to 140°C (gas mark 1). Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream them together using a hand mixer until they’re really well combined, fluffy and pale.
2. Add 1 egg to the bowl and beat it into the mixture, then sift in 1 tablespoon of the flour and mix that in.
3. Now simply add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in really well before adding the next. Sift in the remaining flour, and gently fold it through the mixture using a metal spoon.
4. Put the steeped fruit in a large bowl and remove the vanilla pods. Add the grated apples, and orange and lemon zests. Stir well. Pour the fruit into the cake mixture, scraping out every last syrupy scrap, and carefully fold together until everything is evenly mixed. Be sure to use a gentle touch and don’t overwork it.
5. Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of the spoon or with a palette knife. Make a slight hollow in the centre of the cake, then wet one of your hands and gently, briefly, lightly pat the cake’s surface all over. This will help to maintain a smooth surface while it’s cooking. Cover the cake with a doubled sheet of baking parchment, laying it gently on the surface.
6. Put the cake tin on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 3½ hours without opening the door. Remove the baking parchment from the surface and continue to bake for a further 30 minutes or until the centre feels springy when you touch it lightly.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and put the tin onto a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for 1 hour.
8. Prick the top of the cake all over with a cocktail stick, and ‘feed’ it with Grand Marnier, carefully spooning the alcohol into the tiny holes. Leave the cake to cool in the tin overnight.
9. Next morning, remove the cake from the tin, leaving the baking parchment around it. Wrap it fully in more baking parchment, then in foil, and store in an airtight tin or a plastic cake box until you need it. The cake will keep nicely for three or four months or so, all wrapped up.
