Introduction: Significance of Soaking Dry Fruits for Christmas
I am so excited to be writing this blog today. Come December, and there is excitement in the air. There is something about Christmas time and winter that makes it so alluring and mysterious. When I was a kid with pigtails, I thought it would wane with adulthood, but my thrill never seems to diminish. Christmas is undoubtedly a wonderful season and I am celebrating it with some Christmas special recipes in the best cooking channel, Kalavara. Do pop in there to watch my latest recipes.
December is the most beautiful time of the year, with the essence of the season hanging in the very air that you breathe. Just like Diwali, Christmas was also a special time in my home during my childhood, with a variety of cakes being baked in the traditional oven. We used to have plenty of cousins coming over for Christmas and this definitely called for an abundance of plum cakes and an assortment of wine. I remember my mother preparing the fruits for the plum cakes a year in advance. I would love to share my knowledge on soaking the dry fruits and how we used to do it every year. I have also explained this in my cooking channel Malayalam.
Do read on!
Before you get into a slice of the plum cake, it would be wise to get into a slice of history; know a little about the cultural significance of fruit soaking before the cake is even made. The tradition of fruit soaking dates back to medieval 17th century England. The system of soaking of the dry fruits was started at a time when there were no refrigerators and people had to first dry the fruits under the sun, and then soak them in rum, brandy or wine to make them plump and hydrated for the Christmas cake baking. SInce the dry fruits take up time to soak up the liquid and become flavorful, the dry fruits would be soaked for at least a year before the cakes were baked. So if you want to bake a plum cake for next Christmas, you have to soak the dry fruits this year.
Watch the process in Kalavara, the best cooking channel in YouTube.
Cultural Significance Around the World
I recently learned that the tradition of dry fruit soaking is so popular all over the globe. The alcohol they use for soaking might vary, but the purpose of soaking is the same – make yummy delights, desserts and of course, cakes. The soaking process is tied to specific traditions and celebrations and the culinary practice has been followed for generations. In countries like the UK, Italy and the Caribbean, the tradition of soaking dry fruits is done much in advance before Christmas cakes and puddings. Families in these countries chop up various dry fruits and then soak them in a combination of liqueurs or spirits.
In the Middle East, the soaked dry fruits were used in Middle Eastern desserts, not just for Chrstmas, but for Ramadan, and other festivals. The dry fruits used in abundance are dates, fig and apricot, soaked not in rum or brandy but in sugar syrup, flavored liquids or rose water. In India, soaking of the dry fruits is a common sight in most households in December, not just for Christmas cakes, but for other delicacies too.
History and Tradition Behind Soaking Dry Fruits
The stirring ceremony or the fruit mixing ceremony that we know today was done to mark the arrival of the harvest season when fruits and nuts were in abundance. This contributed to the making of special Christmas cake, and hence an integral part of the age-old Christmas tradition. Initially, people dried the fruits in order to store them for longer periods of time before the invention of the refrigerators.
Dry fruit preservation was a very important activity in the olden days because they assured a year-round food supply when food was scarce. The import and export of dry fruits was also quite common especially along the Silk route – connecting Europe, Africa and Asia. The fruits thus stored were used not only in the making of cakes, but were found in rice recipes, stews, snacks and desserts. The historical significance of the dry fruits and their cultural importance unifies the different countries across multiple continents, even if they have diverse culinary practices. Dry fruits used to play, and still plays an integral part in many cultural traditions.
Benefits of Soaking Dry Fruits
Soaking different dry fruits makes them plump and hydrated, with increased nutritional value. They not only aid in digestion, but contain a rich source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium and so on. They boost immunity, manage blood sugar levels, and help people with skin problems. The dry fruits are soaked in rum or brandy because it would help a person who eats the cake get some warmth during the cold winter months. Another benefit is that the texture of the dry fruits mellow out and flavors get mixed and evened out, rendering a particular yummy taste. I love to add the maximum number of dry fruits and usually soak them for an entire year to bring out the flavors in their entirety. I prefer to use either rum or brandy whichever is available for me at the time. In this particular video posted on my Cooking Malayalam channel, I have used rum.
Selecting the Right Dry Fruits for Soaking
I used the following fruits for this recipe – tutti frutti, cherry, ginger candy, apricot and fig, followed by cashew nuts and almonds.You can use any fruit of your choice – cranberries, black currant, prunes, candied ginger, cherries etc. The more the fruits, the better the flavor and richness of the cake. You can soak the dry fruits at least a year before you plan to bake the cake. I do the soaking every December, and make the plum cake the next December. If you forgot to soak the dry fruits earlier, remember to do it 5-6 months before you plan to bake for Christmas. Some people do not soak the nuts, but prefer to add while preparing their cake batter. You can do it anyway you like.
How to Prepare Dry Fruits for Soaking
Collect all the dry fruits and nuts that you want for your cake or dessert. Remove the stems of the raisins, if any. Ensure they are clean, and ready. Once you have selected all the dry fruits and nuts for soaking, you can chop them up in equal, bite sized pieces for easy and even soaking. Once all the fruits and nuts are chopped up, you can mix them up real well so the assortment happens perfectly. Next, you can transfer them into an airtight glass jar, and then pour your choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. I have explained this in minute detail in my video on Kalavara Youtube Channel.
The Soaking Process
So once all the dry fruits and nuts are ready for soaking, place them inside the glass container. Make sure the glass container is big enough to contain all the fruits, and leave about three-fourth of the space once the fruits and alcohol or juice are filled. This is because the dry fruits will become bigger and plumper when soaked in liquid. Pour rum or brandy until the fruits are fully submerged. The fruits must be soaked in the liquid because only then will you enjoy the correct flavor and the fruits have to be hydrated sufficiently for their flavors to merge and blend with each other. You can use wine or orange juice if you are not too keen on using alcohol. Some people use sugar syrup, and that’s perfectly fine too. If you are using orange juice, make sure to keep the soaked fruit mix inside the fridge or they might get spoiled. You can mix pomegranate juice, orange juice and dark grape juice if you want to stay away from alcohol. But personally, I suggest using alcohol because they render a special flavor and aroma to the cake. You can also try brandy with vanilla extract for a variable taste.
Tips for Enhancing Flavour and Aromas in Soaked Dry Fruits
If you are using fruit juice instead of alcohol, remember not to leave them outside as they might ferment. And you don’t have to soak them for months too, just a week would suffice. However, alcohol soaked dry fruits do have a special take and aroma. You can add one tablespoon of crushed and ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to add to the flavor and aroma of the fruits. Shake them every 2-3 days so the flavors will get mixed and the brandy or rum will move around the bottle, soaking the fruits even further.
Storing and Aging Soaked Dry Fruits
Once you prepare the glass jars with the dry fruits soaked in rum/brandy, you can store them in a cool, dry place, away from heat or sunlight. Stir the contents every 2-3 days and add more liquor if the liquid seems scanty in the jar. The fruits must always remain submerged in the liquid. Give the glass jar a shake once in a while for better absorption of the liquid. I always prepare the dry fruits a year in advance, it makes them super tasty and aromatic.
Recipes Utilizing Soaked Dry Fruits
Though I always use the soaked dry fruits to prepare Christmas cakes and puddings, there are a lot of things you can make. Try experimenting with your culinary skills and make lip-smacking, irresistible delicacies worth a ton of praise from your family.
The classic plum cake
The classic plumcake, or the fruit cake is the most commonly prepared dessert with soaked dry fruits. I have explained the making of the Christmas plum cake in Kalavara, my Cooking Channel Malayalam. Refer to my YouTube channel for a detailed process on how to prepare the Christmas cake using soaked dry fruits. I have explained the process of caramelizing sugar for the cake, the process of mixing the batter and adding the dry fruits and cashew nuts and other ingredients that you need to add. If you have soaked the dry fruits with a non-alcoholic beverage, you can follow the same process.
A tip to remember for the Christmas cake
If you like dry fruits, you can add very little flour while preparing the cake batter. This is because the Christmas plum cake is 80% fruits, and less flour. If the flour is more, then the cake becomes heavy and not moist and soft like how the Christas matter should be. The role of the flour is to blend well with eggs and the fruits and hold everything together.
Christmas Pudding
The Christmas pudding is a traditional British dessert made with an enticing and delectable mix of soaked dry fruits, suet, berries, sultanas, breadcrumbs and a mélange of spices. You can serve the pudding after dinner, with brandy butter, custard or brandy sauce as accompaniments. The dish is boiled or steamed in a bowl and is traditionally eaten before Christmas eve.
Other recipes you can prepare using the soaked dry fruits
I have seen health buffs prepare their own homemade fruit and nut granola using the soaked dry fruits, nuts, oats and honey.
And many Indian wives and chefs use these soaked dry fruits to make barfi, ladoo and other delicacies.
You can make oatmeal cookies using a healthy dose of the soaked dry fruits as evening snacks for the kiddos. The plumpness of the moist fruits add moisture to the cookies, making them yummier.
Other than the above mentioned recipes, you can use soaked dry fruits to prepare muffins, quick breads, quinoa salad, ice creams, sorbets and so on. Let the chef in you awaken, because you can make a lot of delicious goodies with the soaked dry fruits.
Conclusion:
Ready to make your own dry fruit soaking? With the best cooking channel as your recipe partner, nothing can go wrong. I believe that the essence of Christmas is best experienced through these decadent plum cakes. Try to make them at home itself because that makes it so special and delectable. Gift these plum cakes to your family and friends and enjoy watching them relishing the cakes with panache! The process of dry fruit soaking is actually very simple, but you have to be dedicated, and that makes it so special. Homemade plum cakes are incomparable to store-bought Christmas cakes.
