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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 55 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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This is a winner on Christmas morning. Make the filling ahead of time and measure out the dry ingredients the night before and in no time you will have something they will enjoy with coffee while opening the presents. This is a very old General Foods kitchen recipe with a variation of my own. Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped raisins |
1/4 cup chopped candied cherry |
1/4 cup chopped candied citron peel |
1/3 cup sugar |
1/3 cup boiling water |
1 tablespoon lemon juice |
2 cups cake-and-pastry flour, sifted |
2 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
3 tablespoons sugar |
5 tablespoons shortening |
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind |
1 egg, lightly beaten |
1/3 cup 10% cream |
Directions:
1. To make filling-.
2. Combine raisins, cherries, citron, 1/3 cup sugar, boiling water and lemon juice in heavy saucepan Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, and mixture has thickened somewhat.
3. Cool.
4. To make dough-.
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and 3 Tbsp sugar.
6. Cut in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
7. Add the lemon rind.
8. Combine the beaten egg with the cream and add to the dry ingredients stirring lightly with a fork until all the flour is dampened.
9. Turn the soft dough out on a floured board and kead for about 30 seconds.
10. To make tree-.
11. Cut a walnut sized piece from the dough and divide remaining dough in half and roll each half out into a tree shaped triangle.
12. The rolled dough should be about 1/8 inch thick.
13. Place one triangle on greased baking sheet.
14. Spread filling over this triangle leaving a 1/4 border on all three sides.
15. Moisten this edge.
16. Lay second triangle over the first and press edges together to seal.
17. With a sharp knife cut 4 slits on each side of the tree, cutting to within 1/2 of the centre.
18. Twist the tips upward to look like branches and expose the filling.
19. Roll the small piece of dough into a cylinder and place at the bottom of the tree to make the trunk.
20. Bake in 400 F oven for 20-25 minutes.
21. Cool slightly and frost with fondant or icing sugar glaze along the branches.
22. Serve warm.
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