Fruitful exercise
This week, our last before the Christmas break, we are looking at delicious alternatives to our Christmas cake.
German stollen is eaten throughout the festive season and being delicious with coffee, it is lighter than our fruit cakes.
A yeast bread mixture enriched with fruit and candied peel, there is often a rope of almond paste running its length. It freezes well once put away while fresh.
In Italy, panettone is even lighter, but has the same idea of a yeasted dough enriched with candied fruit such as citron and orange peel, sultanas and sometimes nuts. It is eaten with coffee, often for festive breakfasts.
While sweet from dried fruit, both stollen and panettone are traditionally not very sugary.
All of the samples below are well worth trying. We asked some native testers to join our panel to ensure the tastes were genuine.
* For more information and festive tips see my blog at rozcrowley.com. Also join me on Twitter @rozcrowley1.
A classic dome shape with a thin streak of real marzipan throughout its length, this was the favourite of the German taster who said the texture was just right. The other tasters said it was exactly what they expected and liked it best served with coffee. Not over sweet and liked by younger tasters who fancied it with hot chocolate or tea. Excellent value.
Easily the most attractively wrapped sample, this plaited version has an enriched bread texture and is plaited attractively so there is fruit and ribbons of delicious spiced walnut filling throughout.
The light icing on top finishes it perfectly. The only criticism from our German taster is that the walnuts were not traditional as far as he knew, but he would still buy it. Fair price. Ideal as a gift.
A rope of marzipan flavoured with cherry liqueur runs from one end to the other. Good rich flavours in a dough that is not too heavy. Nicely finished with pecans and juicy glacé cherries. Our German taster thought it was not so traditional and it was too sweet for him. Others thought it was deliciously sweet.
An attractive cake with a line of flavoursome glacé cherries and almond slivers on top, was liked by all tasters. Our German taster had never seen a cake like this one, but liked the good marzipan inside. Fair price.
Traditional dough enriched with butter and eggs has just the right amount of sultanas and candied orange peel. In traditionally tall shape and packaged in traditional card pink cover with ribbon handle. Best value.
A little flat and less attractive in shape — more like a muffin — the flavour is less of traditional citrus peel and more of sultanas. Not quite light enough when compared to other samples, but pleasant with coffee.
Genuine Italian lightly enriched bread texture with lovely, perfumed candied fruit. Made in Italy, Tthis mini panettone is light and flavoursome. Plenty for two. A decent price. A good buy and a nice stocking filler.
Aldi A gorgeously moist enriched bread texture has flavoursome candied fruit and is coated with a light ground hazelnut icing. In an attractive recyclable tin, this will make a great gift.
