COMFORT FOOD.

Byline: Emma Jenkins

IFLIKE me you have been running about being too busy for this time of year, you probably can't believe that it is nearly the end of 2009 and time to make the Christmas cake.

Yes now is the time to get the raisins, butter and brandy; send the kids out, turn on Radio 4 - or whatever takes your fancy - and get baking on a rainy Saturday afternoon, let's face it we have had plenty of them! A good Christmas cake made now will give you plenty of time to feed it with good slugs of brandy and still give you plenty of time to ice and decorate. If you really dislike one ingredient, leave it out and make up the weight with a couple of the others.

I have made this cake for the past fewyears andwe have made it at ej's for clients and we always have loads of comRpliments. It is moist and full of flavour. I like it with the syrup option, ( see below) but the choice is yours Christmas Cake Ingredients 12oz currants 8oz sultanas 8oz raisins 2oz mixed peel 4tbsp brandy 8oz butter 8oz soft brown sugar 4 eggs - lightly beaten 8oz plain flour Salt Nutmeg ' tsp mixed spice ' tsp cinnamon 4oz chopped nuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts 1tbsp black treacle or golden syrup (treacle will give a rich dark flavour, the syrup will be lighter in both flavour and colour. Both will add a sweetness and moistness to the cake) Zest of one lemon and two oranges Friday night Place all the dried fruits in a big bowl and add the brandy. Mix well and cover. The brandy will seep into the fruit and bring out the natural Saturday afternoon Cream together the butter and the brown sugar till light and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time. Fold in the brandy soaked fruit. Sieve the flour, spices and fold in together with the nuts, treacle/syrup and fruit zest. Line an 8in round cake tin or 7in square cake tin with greaseproof paper and pre heat the oven to 140C. Once all the ingredients are well mixed spoon the mixture using a spatula into the cake tin. Cover loosely with a sheet of greaseproof paper to protect the cake top Bake for 4 to 43/4 hours or until a skewer pulls clean. This cake takes long slow cooking which increases the depth of flavour and fills your house with that lovely warm spicy Christmas smell. Last year it inspired me so much I did half my Christmas shopping on the net while my cake cooked! Once the cake is cooked leave it in the tin for a further half an hour then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Once the cake is cool spike it with a skewer and feed it with sugars. Saturday night Leave the butter out of the fridge, it is easier to work at room temperature.

teaspoons of brandy. It is worth using a good quality brandy. Wrap the cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper and place in an airtight tin for a month.

Happy baking. Marzipan and icing tips coming soon, but if you really can't face it give us a call, we love baking in the rain.

Emma Jenkins is Director, and creative inspiration behind EJ Catering