Fruitcakes

In an effort to spring fruitcakes from their Holiday mental prison, I offer my Summer Fruitcake! No brilliant red glacéed cherries, but glacéed apricots, dried pineapple, dried dark cherries, pears and nectarines all plumped in peach and guava nectar, and accented with pear and cherry eau-de-vie. Pecans, almonds, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts join shredded coconut. To Meyer lemon, Rangpur lime and blood orange peels I’ve added Seville orange peels as well. 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 is infused with the rare, fragrant Shekwasha citrus peel. The garnish of a fresh bay leaf and lovely spring flower is sure to banish all thoughts of cedar boughs and holly!

Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, coconut, glacéed apricots, dried cherries, nectarines, pineapple, white raisins, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, candied Meyer lemon, Rangpur lime, blood orange and Seville orange peels, peach and guava juice, Kirsch, Pear William eau-de-vie, herb-infused brandy, vanilla, baking powder, spices and salt
1 pound

All fruitcakes weigh just over a pound and measure approximately 6" x 3" x 2". Each cake is a carefully crafted taste experience... and known to be among the finest in the marketplace.

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

All fruitcakes weigh just over a pound and measure approximately 6" x 3" x 2". Each cake is a carefully crafted taste experience... and known to be among the finest in the marketplace.

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

All fruitcakes weigh just over a pound and measure approximately 6" x 3" x 2". Each cake is a carefully crafted taste experience... and known to be among the finest in the marketplace.

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

All fruitcakes weigh just over a pound and measure approximately 6" x 3" x 2". Each cake is a carefully crafted taste experience... and known to be among the finest in the marketplace.

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