COOK'S INSTINCT by @anthonyshock

COOK'S INSTINCT by @anthonyshock

Irish Christmas Cake (Císte Nollag)

A rustic Christmas cake made the Irish way. Rich, aromatic fruits soaked in Irish whiskey, this cake is sure to bring some old-fashioned Gaelic good spirits to your Christmas afters.

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Anthony O'Shaughnessy
Nov 30, 2024
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Irish Christmas Cake shares similar themes with many classic Christmas cakes in the British Isles. The signature flavour, however, comes from Irish whiskey, which lends a more mellow, pleasant taste compared to the peaty, brazen notes of Scotch whiskey. The tame flavour of Irish whiskey works especially well with fruits and spice - amplifying them rather than bullying them. What’s more, this Irish Christmas cake has a blend of old-school spices that make is stand out from the British version. The only thing I recommend is that you make this cake at least 3 weeks before Christmas, as the cake requires adequate enough time to bask in Irish spirit. Every week, for 3 weeks, you will feed it a nip of Irish whiskey until you serve it on Christmas day. Finally, I do away with the old-fashioned, blousy fondant icing and marzipan coverings. I just don’t think they’re necessary nowadays. Overly sickly. Plus there’s something honest and rugged about serving this cake in its natural state; it’s unapologetically Irish. No bollocks. Let’s go!

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