Posts tagged ‘dates’
Recipe of the Week – Kentucky Dark Fruitcake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Kentucky Dark Fruitcake
Frequent readers will recall that I try to create recipes that mimic what people tell me they had and liked. It has become a game for me to take a description of a cake or cookie or meal that I have not had and probably not even seen and make it. This is how I got the “urge” to try to re-create this dark, moist fruitcake that my mother-in-law has mentioned on recent trips back to New Jersey. She tells me she had it as a child and didn’t think back then to get the recipe. Researching all the options on the internet and asking my neighbor for any she has from growing up near Lexington, KY, I came up with a few that looked promising.
My instructions from my mother-in-law were that the cake was very dark, very moist and had some seeds in it. My first try came out really good tasting but a little dry and too light in color to pass the test. The second try came out just right, or just right as far as I think. The proof will be after my m-i-l receives her pieces in the mail (going out today) and lets me know how I did.
If you haven’t had this as a child you should give this recipe a try. It is about perfect for those lazy coffee and morning-bread summer breakfasts on the deck or as dessert with a little cinnamon ice cream on the side.
Kentucky Dark Fruitcake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 0.5 | cup | raisins |
| 0.5 | cup | Dates, dried, chopped |
| 0.5 | cup | figs, chopped |
| 2 | Tb | bourbon, Jack Daniels |
| 1 | cup | butter, unsalted |
| 1 | cup | sugar, brown |
| 2 | large | egg |
| 0.33 | cup | molasses |
| 1 | cup | blackberry, jam |
| 8 | oz | apple sauce |
| 1.75 | cups | flour, all-purpose |
| 0.5 | cup | flour, whole wheat |
| 0.5 | tsp | baking soda |
| 2 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 0.5 | tsp | allspice, ground |
| 0.5 | tsp | cloves, ground |
| 0.5 | tsp | nutmeg, ground |
| 1 | cup | pecans, toasted |
| 2 | oz | bourbon, Jack Daniels |
Combine raisins, chopped dates and chopped figs in a bowl with the bourbon; allow to sit for an hour, stirring occasionally. Cream butter with brown sugar, beat eggs and combine with jam, molasses and apple sauce. Add slowly to the butter mixture and mix. In a separate bowl combine the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and the spices and add to wet mixture. Mix to combine, add the raisins, dates and fig along with the toasted, chopped pecans and stir to blend. Spoon into a greased and floured bundt pan, bake at 375 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes; until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool prior to serving. You may sprinkle additional bourbon on the top at this time.
More breakfast ideas and some bourbon ideas at emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Keeping it Simple – Easy Appertizers
(From the Appetizer Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Dates and Goat Cheese
Melon and Ham
I seem to be on a mission to find easy but good food; maybe it is the unbelievable heat we have been having. Simple seems to have a special appeal when the thermometer reads in the high 90′s. The neighbors came over last night for dinner and I was scratching my head to come up with some quick and easy appetizers. I had a ripe cantaloupe, some excellent Polish ham, some dates and a little goat cheese. Add a few drops of honey and you have pretty good summer appetizers. They must have hit the spot as they disappeared from the plate just about as quickly as they took to assemble.
Melon and Ham
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 0.25 | small | cantaloupe |
| 2 | slices | prosciutto, sliced |
Cut melon into small chunks. Wrap a small piece of the prosciutto around the melon, secure with a toothpick and serve.
Note: You may use any ham you have available.
Dates with Goat Cheese
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Appetizer |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 1 | cup | dates, whole |
| 2 | Tb | cheese, goat |
| 1 | tsp | honey |
Cut dates in half and remove the pit. Place a small dollop of the goat cheese in each half and drip a drop or two of honey on the top. Serve at room temperature.
See more quick, easy and good appetizers at emealsforyou.com
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