The best ever Christmas cake gets better

I have always loved marzipan. When I was young, and I shudder to think of it now, I used to quickly eat the Christmas cake just to get it out of the way so I could concentrate on the gorgeous, home-made marzipan and white icing. Now, of course, I am also in love with the cake and it would be fine to eat it as it is......but why would you when you could do this?

Marzipan

500g ground almonds

140g caster sugar

85g icing sugar

1 lemon

1 teaspoon each vanilla and almond essence

1 teaspooon orange flower water or brandy (I use brandy)

2 eggs

Sieve sugars and mix with almonds, strained lemon juice and essences.

Add beaten eggs gradually. This will make enough to cover a cake completely. I like it on tn the top only so just make half.

Press onto cake!

I'm not a big fan of fondant icing. The icing that has always gone on my family's Christmas cakes is, I suppose, a type of royal icing. I accidentally made mine too wet, I hope it dries out a bit by Friday.

I have never been given measurements for this icing so I just make it up. Roughly, it is one egg white mixed with quite a lot of icing sugar and some lemon juice. It melts as soon as it hits your tongue. Oh, I am going to enjoy this....


My friend Carol gave me this great Christmas decoration that her family enjoyed when her children were young. The hot air from the candles wafts up and makes the windmill thing go around. The baby Jesus, wise men and shepherds then turn around too...... except that I may not have the angle of the blades right, or maybe the candles are too short. Thankfully, it looks festive even if it doesn't go round.