COOK'S CORNER : SHE'S DREAMING OF A WHITE FRUITCAKE.Byline: Marge Powers During the holiday season, we have many requests for a good fruitcake fruit·cake n. 1. A heavy spiced cake containing nuts and candied or dried fruits. 2. Slang A crazy or an eccentric person: "a fruitcake under the delusion that he was Saint Nicholas" recipe. While searching through our files I came across a white fruitcake - Mary Meade's White Fruitcake that has been requested often. The original recipe comes from Mary Meade - a pseudonym pseudonym (s  `dənĭm) [Gr.,=false name], name assumed, particularly by writers, to conceal identity. A writer's pseudonym is also referred to as a nom de plume (pen name). associated with Ruth Ellen Church Ellen Church (September 22, 1904 - August 22, 1965) was the first airline stewardess (flight attendant). BiographyBorn in Cresco, Iowa, Church was a pilot and a nurse. , Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune Daily newspaper published in Chicago. The Tribune is one of the leading U.S. newspapers and long has been the dominant voice of the Midwest. Founded in 1847, it was bought in 1855 by six partners, including Joseph Medill (1823–99), who made the paper food editor from 1936 to 1974. The recipe that follows is adapted from ``The Chicago Tribune Cookbook.'' This fruitcake is rich and light in flavor and can be eaten right after baking. This white fruitcake, festively wrapped, would be a welcome holiday gift. MARY MEADE'S WHITE FRUITCAKE 1 pound EACH candied can·died adj. Permeated, covered, encrusted, or cooked with sugar: candied sweet potatoes. candied Adjective coated with or cooked in sugar: pineapple, candied cherries, light raisins plus more for garnish 1/2 pound EACH, candied: lemon rind, orange rind, citron citron (sĭt`rən), name for a tree (Citrus medica) of the family Rutaceae (orange family), and for its fruit, the earliest of the citrus fruits to be introduced to Europe from Asia. 1 1/2 cups orange-flavored liqueur liqueur (lĭkûr`), strong alcoholic beverage made of almost neutral spirits, flavored with herb mixtures, fruits, or other materials, and usually sweetened. The name derives from the Latin word to melt. OR white wine plus additional to brush on Verb 1. brush on - apply with a brush; "Brush butter on the roast" coat, surface - put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface; "coat the cake with chocolate" cake 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 12 large eggs 6 cups sifted flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 pounds (6 cups) pecans OR walnuts plus more for garnish Corn syrup corn syrup Sweet syrup produced by breaking down (hydrolyzing) cornstarch (a product of corn). Corn syrup contains dextrins, maltose, and dextrose and is used in baked goods, jelly and jam, and candy. Cut pineapple in varying sizes. Slice cherries in half. Combine pineapple, cherries, raisins, rinds and citron in a large bowl. Stir in liqueur. Let stand covered overnight. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat on low until combined. Stir batter and nuts into fruit mixture. Grease 4 (9x5-inch) loaf pans. Line with wax or parchment paper and grease paper. Spoon batter into pans. Place pans in a shallow roasting pan; fill with hot water to come halfway up sides of pans. Bake in preheated 250-degree oven until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn cakes out; remove paper and cool completely on a wire rack. Brush additional liqueur over top and sides of cakes using a pastry brush. Wrap in foil; store in a covered food container at least 1 week. To finish cakes before serving or giving away, brush some corn syrup and decorate with additional candied fruit and nuts. Brush top with additional corn syrup. Let dry slightly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Makes 4 cakes, 12 servings each. NOTE: Texture and flavor of this cake improves with aging. If cake is stored for any length of time (a few weeks or a month), brush cake with additional liqueur if dry. Can you help? If you have recipes that can help these readers, please send them along to us at the address below to share in a future column. I have looked everywhere to no avail for my Knudsen cream cheese pie recipe that came from the inside package of the 8-ounce Knudsen Cream Cheese package. Help. - Mady Givant North Hollywood CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Mary Mead's White Fruitcake is light in flavor, can be eaten right after baking and is easy to make. James F. Quinn/Chicago Tribune |
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