Fruitcakes

Ever since Art Pollard introduced himself at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco several years ago, I have been pondering a way to incorporate his work into mine. This maverick chocolate entrepreneur sources his own beans from the most remote places on earth to craft unique single origin chocolate bars. As Amano Artisan Chocolate he has racked up more awards than any other chocolate maker in the world.

Finally I decided that a chocolate-infused fruitcake would work well with several varieties of orange, much like my Four Orange Chocolate Sauce. At his suggestion I have chosen to marry my Seville orange, blood orange, bergamot orange and Rangpur mandarin lime peels with his rich complex Morobe chocolate from Papua New Guinea, one of the wildest places left on earth. You can taste that wildness in memorable layers of flavor that populate every bite!

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, coconut, glaceed apricots and cherries, golden raisins, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, walnuts, candied Seville orange, Rangpur mandarin lime, blood orange and bergamot orange peels, orange juice, Morobe chocolate, orange peel brandy, orange oil, baking powder, salt
1 lb.

Cooks traditionally made a both a light and a dark fruitcake. Along with dark colored fruits like dates, prunes and dark raisins, molasses, brown sugar, port wine and spices made a dark fruitcake darker in flavor as well. Since my grandmother's recipe was lost, I worked from many old sources to forge a unique take on this classic. For spices I chose cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg, then my favorite 10-year-old Ficklin port, local hazelnuts and pecans. Walnuts are blanched before toasting to reduce bitterness.

Deeply ripe DeSantis Farms oranges are squeezed for juice just before it's added. I plump their dried black figs in Pear William eau de vie. An ancient variety of date comes from Flying Disc Ranch in Thermal, California. Into the mix go my own rare candied Buddha's hand citron, bergamot orange, blood orange and white grapefruit peels, candied young ginger. Each cake is soaked in Jack Daniels whiskey spiked with herbs and spices, topped with California bay leaf and candied blood orange peel star.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, glacéed cherries, dark raisins, currants, dates, prunes, figs, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, coconut, orange juice, molasses, candied ginger, bergamot, blood orange, Buddha's hand citron & Texas lemon peels, pear brandy, port wine, Jack Daniels bourbon, baking powder, spices, salt
1 pound

My grandmother's original recipe. I've removed most of the glacéed fruit and added my own creations, but the cherries and pineapple are still here. There are fine Brazil nuts, local pecans and whole blanched toasted almonds. Walnuts are blanched before toasting to reduce their bitterness. Deeply ripe DeSantis Farms oranges are squeezed for juice just before it's added. Their golden raisins are here, the best I've ever had. My candied bergamot, Rangpur lime, Meyer lemon and blood orange peels, the rare Buddha’s hand citron, my candied young ginger all contribute to this renowned symphony of flavors. Each cake is soaked in the finest French cognac infused with herbs and spices, topped with a California bay leaf and candied white grapefruit peel star.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, white raisins, dried pineapple, glacéed cherries, coconut, fresh orange juice, Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, candied young ginger, candied Meyer lemon, blood orange, bergamot & Rangpur lime peels, brandy, baking powder, salt
1 pound

The idea here is the finest fruits of summer preserved for winter use, dried apricots, cherries, pears and nectarines plumped with guava juice, Kirsch and Pear William eau de vies.

The nuts are pecans, Brazil nuts, whole blanched toasted almonds and hazelnuts, the peels my own white grapefruit, picked in Napa, blood orange and Rangpur lime I picked in Morgan Hill, and Meyer lemon from Gene Lester. The batter is similar to the White Fruitcake, but with peach and guava nectar instead of orange juice, and scented with cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla. The soaking cognac here is infused with the rare champagne geranium leaves I grow, a favorite of mine. Garnished with a Seville orange peel flower and California bay leaf.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, coconut, dried apricots, cherries, pears, nectarines, white raisins, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, candied Meyer lemon, Rangpur lime, blood orange & white grapefruit peel, guava and peach juice, herb-infused brandy, vanilla, baking powder, spices and salt
1 pound

Like the English Plum Puddings that were traditionally made a year ahead, fruitcakes do improve with age. All my cakes rest at least a month before I sell them. In this case, older is better. This is not, as you might think, an attempt to unload last year’s leftovers at premium prices. I actually bake and set aside a certain number every season to age, and it costs a lot to keep them in climate controlled refrigeration all that time, but it’s worth it. Over the last year the flavor has developed, expanded and become more complex. Like a wine that was fun while young but more serious now that it's aged, these fruitcakes have become a real fruitcake lover's treat.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, glacéed cherries, dark raisins, currants, dates, prunes, figs, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, coconut, orange juice, molasses, candied ginger, bergamot, blood orange, Buddha's hand citron & Texas lemon peels, pear brandy, port wine, Jack Daniels bourbon, baking powder, spices, salt
1 pound

Like the English Plum Puddings that were traditionally made a year ahead, fruitcakes do improve with age. All my cakes rest at least a month before I sell them. In this case, older is better. This is not, as you might think, an attempt to unload last year’s leftovers at premium prices. I actually bake and set aside a certain number every season to age, and it costs a lot to keep them in climate controlled refrigeration all that time, but it’s worth it. Over the last year the flavor has developed, expanded and become more complex. Like a wine that was fun while young but more serious now that it's aged, these fruitcakes have become a real fruitcake lover's treat.

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, white raisins, dried pineapple, glacéed cherries, coconut, fresh orange juice, Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, candied young ginger, candied Meyer lemon, blood orange, bergamot & Rangpur lime peels, brandy, baking powder, salt
1 pound