Pineapple for Christmas

Judging by the amount of pineapple merchandise in the shops this summer I guess the luckiest amongst you will be receiving tropical fruit ornaments this Christmas! Next summer when pineapples and pink flamingoes are deemed passé the Pineapple Princesses will still be cooking up treats from their endless supply of retro recipe books!

Merry Christmas, Ann and Anne.

Aunty Ann’s Christmas Pineapple Choc Clusters

 250g slivered almonds; 250g dried pineapple; 250g white chocolate melts

Toast the almonds until very pale golden

Chop the pineapple
Melt the chocolate
Mix all together
Drop teaspoons full onto trays lined with baking paper
Top each with a silver cachou or several
Store in fridge.

The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookery Book, Prize recipes from our £2,000 Cookery Contest, 1948

Rich Christmas Cake
(This recipe won First Prize of £25)

225g butter; 225g brown sugar; 1 tspn grated lemon rind; 1 tspn vanilla; ½ tspn almond essence; 5 eggs; 225g plain flour; 2 tblspn self-raising flour; ½ tspn each cinnamon, nutmeg, spice, salt; 450g seeded raisins; 450g sultanas; 110g each of sliced crystallised or drained cherries, dates; 2 tblspn each of chopped prunes, diced crystallised pineapple, shredded peel, chopped blanched almonds; quantity rum or sherry; 1 large green apple

Cream butter with sugar, lemon rind, and essences. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients 2 or 3 times, mix half with prepared fruits. Add dry ingredients alternately with floured fruit. Lastly mix in peeled, grated apple. Turn into 23cm round or square cake-tin lined with 3 thicknesses brown paper and one layer of white paper. Surface of cake should be level – a slowly baked cake rises evenly. Place in a very moderate oven (170° C), keep oven temperature steady and bake 4 ½ to 4 ¾ hours. Leave in tin, wrap in clean tea-towel, then in 3 or 4 thicknesses clean paper. Make 3 or 4 weeks before required.

Every 2 or 3 days trickle 1 or 2 tblspn rum or sherry over top off cake and allow it to soak in. If desired, this treatment may be omitted and 2 tblspn rum or sherry added to mixture.

NOTE: Quantities for cake may be doubled and mixture cooked in 25cm tin for approximately seven hours.