It’s that time of year – we’re prepping for Christmas. Well, some started earlier – whatever *rolls eyes*.

I finally got round to soaking my fruit in brandy and orange liqueur for the fruitcakes that must be. This is a world record for me. I’ve soaked fruit days before, some weeks before – truth be told though, with the amazing recipe I use from BBC Good food, it hasn’t mattered much – every single make has been delicious.

What I’m celebrating about this ‘early soaking’ is the feeling of being on time. 

Other than in Fruitcakes and Traditional English Christmas Pudding, this is my great new idea. That this fruit mix could be sold in wonderful jars at the finest stores. I particularly like it in Stage 3 (Stage 1 being the soaking and stage 2, ) –

Stage 3/ Cook Cake Mixture

In a large pan, combine the fruit paste, the other half of the soaked dried fruit and any remaining liqueur, cherries, apricots, mission figs, sugar, butter, zests and juice of the lemon and orange and all of the brandy-liqueur from the soak.  Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted, about 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat and bubble for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; Recipe

Breads

• Knead some into a sweetened, enriched bread dough to make a fruit loaf
• Make a sweetened pizza – Galette de Perouges, topped with lemon, sugar and fruit paste
• Spread onto bread dough to make a fruity roll, reminiscent of the cinnamon bun. Glaze with orange frosting
• Add to pancake or waffle batter and cook as normal

Cookies & Pastries

• Mix some into cookie dough, for a fruitcake cookie
• Stuff some into shortcrust dough to make great mince pies
• Make Fruitcakes
• Make Christmas Pudding

Read: The many faces of Fruitcake

Desserts

• Warm and scoop some over ice-cream
• Add to bread pudding
• Make a trifle with citrus supremes, sweetened whipped cream and chunks of fruit cake

Read: How to make a Trifle

Condiments

• Stir into softened butter to make a compound butter. Great on toast.
• Make a brandied/cider fruit sauce for roasted meats and poultry
• Make stuffing, with bread crumbs, grated apple and fill a bird with it :), or the slits in a Turkey Breast Hassleback

Drinks

• Mulled wine
• Fruit-spiced beverages – coffee, tea and hot chocolate 🙂 with whipped cream 

What would you use yours for?