Creole Christmas Fruitcake With Whiskey Sauce Recipe

How to make it

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• Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
• Combine the dried fruits together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the simply syrup over them, toss to coat, and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the syrup.
• Cream the butter, sugar, and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add 1/2 cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well. Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be thick.
• Add the warm fruit and all the nuts a little at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly grease twelve 1-pound loaf pans. Spoon about 1 cup of batter into each pan. Bake until golden and the tops spring back when touched, about 45 minutes (rearranging them after 25 minutes if necessary to brown evenly).
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove fruitcakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• Wrap each cake in a layer of cheesecloth. Store in plastic storage bags until they are slightly stale, 3 to 4 days.
• Combine the reserved simple syrup with the remaining 1/2 cup Grand Marnier and the bourbon. Without removing the cheesecloth, make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the top of each cake. Pour 2 tablespoons of the syrup over the top of each cake once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used. Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating.
• For Serving: Warm the Whiskey Sauce and serve with slices of fruitcake.
• Yield: 12 cakes
• Whiskey Sauce Recipe
• 10 minute cooking
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Ingredients:
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• Preparation:
• Combine 2-3/4 cups of the cream with the bourbon and sugar in a medium-size nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup cream. Add this to the cream-and-bourbon mixture and simmer stirring often, until the mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm with the fruitcake.
• The sauce may be stored, after it has cooled, in an airtight container for 24 hours. When ready to serve, warm over low heat.
• Serve with Creole Christmas Fruitcake.
• Yield: 3 cups