COGNAC-GLAZED FRUITCAKE
Source of Recipe
From Liz (Lizard)
Recipe Introduction
Joan Hackett's Recipe from Bon Appetit (1978)
Cognac-Glazed Fruitcake (Joan Hackett’s Recipe from Bon Appetit, August 1978)
10 to 12 dried apricots
1 cup Cognac
1/2 cup butter (4 ounces), room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup Cognac
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dired pears
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts
1/2 cup flour
Glaze:
12 ounce jar apricot preserves
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
10-12 whole pecans
Cognac (optional)
Plump whole apricots in 1 cup Cognac several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 275 F. Generously grease a 10-inch bundt pan. Cream together butter and sugars in large mixing bowl. Add flour, spices and baking soda. Blend in eggs, applesauce, 1/2 cup Cognac, vanilla and almond extract.
In separate large bowl, thoroughly-coat dried fruits (except Cognac-plumped apricots) and nuts with 1/2 cup flour. Add to batter and mix well. Spoon into prepared pan and bake 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, or until cake pulls away slightly from sides of pan. Cool in pan on rack 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving plate.
For Glaze: Place preserves in small pan and cook over medium-low heat until completely melted, about 5 minutes. Drain Cognac from plumped apricots and add to preserves. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice; strain mixture. Add apricots and pecans and allow to cool completely.
When glaze has cooled, remove apricots and pecans and arrange alternately over top of cake, pressing down slightly. With skewer poke holes intermittently in cake. Gradually pour glaze over entire surface, using spoon to coat sides evenly. Allow to stand uncovered several hours, occasionally spooning accumulated glaze from bottom of dish over cake and poking additional holes until all liquid is absorbed. If desired, add more Cognac to heighten flavor and increase moistness.
Cake will keep for months wrapped tightly and refrigerated. Add more Cognac when desired.
My notes: I used California Brandy rather than Cognac - always watching the budget, I’m afraid, especially with a second house hanging over us!
I doubled the recipe and baked it in 4 loaf pans (8x4 I think). I kept the glaze amount the same, but skipped the decorative cots and nuts. I soaked cheesecloth in the glaze and wrapped each cake - filling in any dryish spots by brushing more glaze on, then wrapped in foil and then put into plastic ziploc bags and into my fridge. I’ve been turning them regularly to keep the glaze “moving.” If the cheesecloth starts to look dry, I’ll brush some brandy over.
I don’t care for Brazil nuts so used Almonds instead.
Good Luck!
Lizard
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The Tale of the Cake, by Liz Thomas
Well, as many of you know, I baked the Joan Hackett Fruit Cake (recipe kindly supplied by Liz(ard) for our Christmas holiday.
And, as you all know, we got caught in the Tsunami, so I thought that you'd like to know what happened to the cake.
We cut it on Christmas day when two friends, who we often meet up with in Thailand, came around for a Christmas afternoon drink. I had obeyed the recipe to the letter (except for adding a bit of different fruit). It was beautiful, all sticky and shiny and luscious and smelled wonderful
I only managed to eat a small sliver as I was already full of stuffed goose breast, but G and our two friends really raved about it -- I thought it tasted pretty delicious too.
Two days after the tsunami we went back to see what, if any, we could salvage of our things from the wreck of the bungalow. The fridge had been thrown across the room and was lying on its back. Amazingly the door was still closed and, even though it had been submerged in water, we were able to salvege a few things like the pots of pheasant pate I had made, some cheese and some drinks. The cake was intact too but water from the defrosting freezer section had dripped into it and it was all wet and soggy. So that was the end of that.
I am definitely going to make it again though, I'll possibly do it for Easter.
I threw the remaining cake out onto the sand thinking the crabs or the birds might find a use for it. Back again the following day, the cake was still there -- it appears that Thai crabs and birds are not tempted by cognac and apricot preserves!
Anyhow, half of it did get the appreciation that it deserved and I'd like to say thanks again, Liz, for sharing the recipe. How did your ones turn out? Great I hope, and raved at by all.
Cheers!
Liz
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