FAQs
What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.
What is the best alcohol to soak fruit in for Christmas cake? ›
What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.
How long to soak dried fruit in water? ›
Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.
Should I soak dried fruit before baking? ›
If you are planning on using dried fruits, it may be a good idea to soak them first. Dried fruits can lose up to 75% of their volume during the drying process according to cookinglight.com. Once they are mixed with the other ingredients they will begin to reabsorb the moisture around them.
What is the best liquid to soak dried fruit in? ›
Put your dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let it steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain the fruit and discard the water. The fruit will be plumper, juicier, and softer. To give your fruit some extra flavor, swap the water for fruit juice or a liquor, like rum, bourbon, or brandy.
How do you stop dried fruit sinking in a cake? ›
You can reduce the liklihood of dried fruits such as cranberries or raisins sinking by lightly dusting them in flour before adding them to your cake mixture. Simply toss the fruit in a small bowl with a small scoop of flour and add the lightly covered fruit to your cake mix and follow the rest of the recipe as normal.
Which dry fruits should not be soaked? ›
Some dry fruits, like walnuts, chilgoza (pine nuts), raisins, dried apricots can be eaten without soaking in water. Almonds maybe the only one that can be blanched (soaked in water overnight, and skin removed). The tannin in the skin inhibits nutrient absorption.
Is it necessary to soak dry fruits overnight? ›
Soaking is believed to reduce the warm potency and cool it down and make it more easily digestible for people suffering from digestive ailments and Pitta dosha. Soaking can reduce anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors present in nuts and dry fruits.
Why boil raisins before baking? ›
Soaking raisins has several benefits for your baking. First, it plumps up the raisins, making them softer and juicier, improving their mouthfeel. Soaking these fruity goodies also prevents them from absorbing moisture from the batter during baking.
Should we soak dry fruits in water or milk? ›
“While dry fruits like raisins, apricots and prunes, should be rinsed well and soaked in clean water so that the sulphites used to preserve them gets removed from their surface.”, adds Dr Zubeida Tumbi. Raw nuts consist of phytic acid which is also found in grains and legumes.
Soaking can reduce anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors present in nuts and dry fruits. This enhances the bioavailability of nutrients, which leads to better absorption. Soaking nuts and dry fruits provides hydration and may help counterbalance the dryness associated with Vata dosha.
How long do you soak raisins before baking? ›
Generally, about 10 to 15 minutes in warm liquid is sufficient. However, if you're using a liquid at room temperature, leave them for at least 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the bowl if you want to soak the raisins overnight or longer. After soaking, drain the raisins and pat them dry with a paper towel.
