Us bakers are gearing up to get baking our Christmas goodies! Aah…I can smell those mince tarts right now!
Every time one of my recipes specifies candied fruit I feel so annoyed with what we have available to us here! All we can get these days, at least at retail level, are the chopped up syrupy bits of candied fruits and peel.
Over the years, wandering through some of the markets in Italy, my eyes are drawn to stacks and stacks of jewel like whole pieces of candied fruit and I know that if I try to bring some home those mean folks at Customs will be all over me. So, sadly I walk on by, muttering and moaning to my long suffering husband!
Back in the mists of time during the 1960’s and ’70’s there was a great shop downtown on Robson Street, called Galloway’s. One of their fantastic display windows was laden with all the candied fruits that you could ever want, from angelica to pineapple rings to citron. I hate being one of those who go on about the “good old days” but jeez…I suppose I could make my own??? Sure!
I’m off to the kitchen to get started on my four German Stollen with rum soaked candied fruit, raisins and currants and filled with marzipan! What a treat! But…I still want those candied fruits that I see in Italy!
Happy baking everyone!
Helpful link to German Stollen. click here.
