Last winter I candied citron, quince, kumquats and clementines. I want to make fruitcakes. I have a batch of fruit and raisins mellowing in

luvcookbooks
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6 Comments

Sam1148 November 16, 2014
Ahh..I remember these from the 70's. A rum pot of fruit that would ferment for ages stored in the Cabinet.

It was used with ice cream as a topping, and in oatmeal as a late afternoon 'warm up' thing on cold days.

Also it was used a 'pot' to put in pieces of fruit to keep adding too to keep the batch 'alive'. People would give a bit of their starter stuff with a nice jar apothecary type jar as presents.

https://www.google.com/search?site=&source=hp&q=fermented+fruit+starter&oq=fermented+fruit+starter&gs_l=hp.3..0l3j0i8i30l4.947.7228.0.7691.26.21.1.4.4.0.193.2142.1j16.17.0....0...1c.1.58.hp..5.21.2037.0.ynuChm2--8A

So maybe you could devide your starter batch in portions and give a small jar of it..a nice set of instructions and a large glass jar as gifts.

And some recipe suggestions. I remember it was mostly used for my folks with ice cream, coffee cake and coffee.
 
Michele November 16, 2014
You might be able to adapt it to this - http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/exotic/caribbean/creole-christmas-cake.html

It makes a really wonderful cake!!!
 
Droplet November 16, 2014
Panforte, British mince pies, or you could drain the fruit well and puree it then use that as a filling for hamantaschen type cookies.
 
lem M. November 16, 2014
That sounds wonderful!
Other ideas: Stollen, which is a german christmas kind-of-cake keeping for weeks—under layers of brushed on butter and powdered sugar; or Cassata, a wonderful sicilian dessert also involving ricotta and pistachio marzipan (I think there’s a great recipe for this in Emiko Davies’ Regional Italian column).
 
Meaghan F. November 16, 2014
Yum!! Panettone, which is Italian and similar to fruitcake (but way better IMO!). Mix it into yogurt or top pancakes with it. Make chocolate bark. Puree it and use it for thumbprint cookies. Use some with roasted pork, or duck. Lots of possibilities!
 
luvcookbooks November 16, 2014
Sorry it did not all go from keyboard to page. I have a batch of fruit and raisins mellowing in ruby port and dark rum to make Carribean Black Fruit cake. Any ideas on other uses for candied fruit?
 
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