Dried fruit for Christmas cake

[CurlyMcCurlFace]

Anyone have any particular recommendations for good value and/or good quality fruit for the Christmas cake? I usually just grab it from Tesco but I'm feeling organised this year 😂

I used delias rich fruit cake but omitted the currants. I added dried apple, figs and apricots instead. We cut into it for an alternative Christmas on the weekend and it's delicious!

I was given some prunes in port a number of years ago but never used them. Last year I put a few into my pan forte and Christmas cake. Worked a treat so will dip inside the jar again this year.

I’ve been buying gorgeous French Agen prunes (Ocado) with the intention of building up stock for my cake.

But I keep eating them.

Watching! Sainsbury's used to sell whole mixed peel which was delicious and then they stopped and only Waitrose had it which was no use to me unless I got a ferry...

Nope. But I CAN recommend soaking your fruit in pedro ximenez - it really does give the cake the most wonderful flavour!

Whitworths are good if you can get them on offer

I get mine from Grapetree.

I tentatively broached the idea of changing the alcohol used for soaking with the more interested family members. Have been told in no uncertain terms that nothing but rum is to be used. It’s a shame, although I like it in cake I don’t particularly care for rum as a thing to sip while baking. But drinking the thing I’m baking with seems an unbreakable pre-Christmas ritual.

@EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues

I tentatively broached the idea of changing the alcohol used for soaking with the more interested family members. Have been told in no uncertain terms that nothing but rum is to be used. It’s a shame, although I like it in cake I don’t particularly care for rum as a thing to sip while baking. But drinking the thing I’m baking with seems an unbreakable pre-Christmas ritual.

We've always used a combo of whatever booze is in the house - but it's definitely an excuse to but my fave tipple (and put as little of that one as possible in the cake in order not to waste it!)

@ThatLibraryMiss

I get mine from Grapetree.

@ThatLibraryMiss looks like good prices - are they particularly better than buying from the supermarket?

@Heathofhares

Whitworths are good if you can get them on offer

They are on 2 bags for £2.50 in Asda @Heathofhares - do you rate them then?

I always put ginger, pineapple and pawpaw in my cakes. The latter two I get in a mixed bag from the Co-op. [Hmm memories of the shop my mother got the dried fruit from in my childhood - whole crystalised pineapple rings got out of little wooden drawers].

I've not thought of putting prunes in my cakes before for some reason. Will have to consider it!

I’ve never thought of putting pawpaw in a cake. When I lived for a while not in the UK I used to like pawpaw incorporated into rice dishes to go with fish. But the horrified faces around the dining table eventually dissuaded me from continuing.

Pineapple, now … Would seem reasonable as an alternative to apple in an apple cake. Although possibly too sweet and soggy. In a Christmas cake? How does it work? Doesn’t it spoil the colour? Do you soak it first?

So many questions!

(I use fresh ginger in everything.)

@ThatLibraryMiss looks like good prices - are they particularly better than buying from the supermarket?

Dunno about better but they're consistently good, they have a few different varieties of raisins and sultanas and I buy enough seeds and oats from them to get free postage. If you're anywhere near Castleford they have an outlet in J32.

Watch out for the date on the 500g packs of currants - it's this month.

Tesco have a mixed fruit already soaked in brandy . I added chopped nuts soaked in amaretto (for sipping).

I've never used a premixed fruit before ( bought the peel, raisins etc separately) but it looked good and smelled delicious.

@EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues

I’ve never thought of putting pawpaw in a cake. When I lived for a while not in the UK I used to like pawpaw incorporated into rice dishes to go with fish. But the horrified faces around the dining table eventually dissuaded me from continuing.

Pineapple, now … Would seem reasonable as an alternative to apple in an apple cake. Although possibly too sweet and soggy. In a Christmas cake? How does it work? Doesn’t it spoil the colour? Do you soak it first?

So many questions!

The pawpaw and pineapple I get for cakes is candied/crystallised rather like the mixed peel is, and I like to chop everything fairly small (depending on patience ...) so it works fine. I do soak everything in whisky or rum or whatever. My goal for the ideal Christmas cake is just enough cake to hold the fruit together.

Ironically I don't like fresh pawpaw at all. Though I can imagine how your rice dishes might have worked nicely.

Crystallised pawpaw and pineapple? How have I lived so long, amongst so many cookbooks, without knowing of such glories? (The pineapple at least.). Hmm … Possibly because I’m not much of a cocktail aficionado I’m not at all familiar with rum and pineapple combinations - but I definitely get it.

Wonder if Ocado do crystallised pineapple …