Fruitcake Cheese Loaf Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Reserve the drippings.
• Crumble enough of the fruitcake to measure 1 cup; set the remaining cake aside. Mix the crumbled cake, flour and butter with your fingers in a bowl until the mixture is in pea-size pieces. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool, then add the bacon and crumble the mixture into smaller pieces.
• Beat the gorgonzola, cream cheese, chives, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne in a bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth; set aside. Line a mini loaf pan or small souffle dish with plastic wrap, leaving a long overhang on the sides. Press the crumble into the bottom of the dish. Spread the cheese mixture over the crumble layer and fold in the excess plastic wrap to cover the cheese. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, brush a baking sheet with some of the reserved bacon drippings. Slice the remaining fruitcake into 1/4-inch-thick pieces with a serrated knife (if they fall apart, press back together with your fingers). Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet, brush with more drippings and toast 7 to 10 minutes per side. Cool on the baking sheet.
• Uncover the cheese mold and invert onto a platter. Serve with the fruitcake toasts.

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Grease and flour three 9x5-in. loaf pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Combine currants, raisins, walnuts, candied citron and 1/4 cup flour. Toss to coat; set aside., Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. In another bowl, whisk baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and remaining flour; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee. Stir into currant mixture and mix well., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 days to blend flavors. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Cut the fruitcakes into thin pieces and top each with a slice of Lancashire cheese and a piece of apple, tossed in a little lemon juice if not eating immediately. Can be made up to 1 hr ahead.

Steps:

• To make the fruit & nut mix, chop up an assortment of dried fruits and nuts of your choice. Typically, my mom uses raisins, pineapple, papaya, green & red glacé cherries, and pecans. Smaller dried fruits like raisins don't need to be cut, but dice up the other fruits and the nuts. Now measure out 3 cups worth of the mixture and mix it up with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour (this is done so that the fruits and nuts won't all sink to the bottom of your cake when baking).
• Preheat the oven to 325°F
• Cream the butter and sugar together. Mix in the cream cheese.
• Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
• In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, the baking powder, and the salt.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients; the batter will be quite thick.
• When barely any streaks remain, mix in the flour-covered fruit & nut mix. Only on few strokes of your spatula are needed; do not overmix.
• Spray a loaf pan (9x5 in) with nonstick spray and line the bottom of the pan with a rectangle of parchment paper.
• Scrape your batter into the loaf pan, smoothing the top.
• Place in the oven and let bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
• If near the end of baking, the inside of the cake is still wet but the top is browning too quickly, cover the top with a sheet of foil.
• Let your cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooking.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook pineapple and sugar over medium heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Place cold water in a bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir into the warm pineapple mixture. Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is blended. Remove from the heat; cool completely., In a small bowl, combine macaroon crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. Stir the grapes, oranges, cherries and nuts into cream cheese mixture. Fold in the whipped topping. Pour into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan before serving.