A sticky-rum soaked cartoon of a cake. You must try it, is is worth every ounce of money and effort! My sister’s favorite request every Christmas. I start making it in October. This cake is euphoria. This is Fruitcake done right. YOU WILL NEED TO START THE BAKING PORTION OF THIS CAKE AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE YOU WANT TO EAT IT. BEGIN SOAKING THE FRUITS AT LEAST A MONTH IN ADVANCE. Not really for the novice baker (only because you have to figure out the baking time on your own based on the size of the cakes you make). I recommend mini loaf pans for this. Merry Christmas!
From Ruth Van Waerebeeks’s “Everybody Eats Well In Belgium Cookbook.” Traditional Belgium shrimp croquettes are made with North Sea shrimp, called brown shrimp — small, and very flavorful, and not readily available in the United States. Ruth writes: “For a while I thought I could never duplicate [the traditional Belgian croquette in the U.S.] …. But with a little experimentation I achieved quite good results. Do avoid frozen peeled shrimp, for they have very little flavor and search out the freshest shrimp you can find.” The dish must be refrigerated at least overnight to allow yourself enough preparation time. (And DO read the directions through to prepare yourself for the time involved!)
This is not a simple recipe but it’s worth it! It’s from the cookbook, “Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague” by Rick Rodgers. It is composed of six thin, nut meringue layers made with a mixture of ground hazelnuts and almonds (you can also use just almonds or just hazelnuts). The layers are filled with a kirsch buttercream and the top layer is covered with an apricot glaze and is then covered with a faux fondant icing which is feathered with melted dark chocolate (it looks like a Napolean). You can make this 2 days ahead, cover and refrigerate.
