Baking at Christmas condures up spices and dried fruits packed into cakes, puddings and mince pies. Back in the day when I was in domestic-science class we got to make a Christmas cake. The cake mixture was made during class time but we all took the raw mixture home in the tins to be baked. The best bit was, if we decorated them at home to our own designs we could bring them back into the school for display in the libary.
It was such a treat that I never did the whole icing thing again – there was nothing to beat the high of exhibiting your work for all those who rather thought the whole domestic scene was a little beneath them. These days I'll happily make plum puddings and homemade mincemeat for pies but instead of a fully fledged rich fruit cake we have what I call a “Solstice Cake.” Named because it's made on the 21st December at the shortest day. The Solstice cake is essentially a home-bake Pannetone. The “Irish” version here has a buttery Broiche texture with a strong hint of fresh nutmeg and just some candid peel and golden sultanas for the fruit. It's usually still warm on the 21st evening and is delicous with Gubbeens or Gruyere type cheese and a mulled wine. The rest I toast for Breakfast and it's become my favorite 'meal' of the Season.
The video is made by Jim Clarken aka 'The Guy with the Hand. He really makes it look easy. The key is to use some steam in the oven and a ferment to start up the yeast. He only proves it twice, once in the bowl and then in the paper. For about an hour each time just on the kitchen counter covered in a tea-towel. Needless to say he got his tea-towel online from Chez Maison.