From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npois!alice!rabbit!jj
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Title: Fruitcake ( not the store  bought tasteless kind.)
Article-I.D.: rabbit.497
Posted: Tue Jun  1 14:25:44 1982
Received: Wed Jun  2 01:14:50 1982

Dry Ingredients:
3 C flour
1 tsp DA bkg powder
1tsp soda
,5 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnimon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
Mix well, sift 3 times.  Reserve half.
To other half add (cutting into the dry mixture to prevent clumping)
1.5 lb. Glace cherries
1.5 lb dates (in .25 cubes, sort of)(cherries in halves)
.5 lb glace pinapple
1lb glace fruitcake mix (has citron, pineapple, etc. in it)
2.5 C. chopped walnuts
Set aside

Prepare 12-13 1 lb foil loaf pans by liberally greasing with Crisco, etc,
and then flouring.

Preheat to 275 F

In large (10 qt.) kettle combine
3 C. cold water
2 C. sugar
~3 lb. raisins
~1 lb. dried chopped apricots
(raisins, apricots, and other soft dried fruit may be traded, but keep about
2 lb raisins as a minimum, and about 4 lb total. Dried apples have proven
undesirable)
Heat until steaming.  Cook steaming, but NOT boiling, for 10 minutes. Stir
until sugar is completely disolved.  DO NOT BOIL!!!!!!!!!!
Add butter and remove from heat.
(AHEM! that's .5 lb butter!)
When cooled to about 130 F, add 3 slightly beaten eggs (just frothy, not stiff)
Add dry ingredients, stirring well, and with a strong spoon.
Add fruit in parts.  Stir well.  This dough is mostly fruit, and will resemble
a load of wet cement that has far too much gravel mixed in.  If the mixture will
not cover all the fruit (by sticking to it, not flowing over it!) add no more
than .5 C. warm water, in parts.
Add .25 C. Brandy (I use Christian Bros, or Old Mr. Boston, but others are
obviously ok)
Stir well.
turn into 2/3 full loaf pans.
Bake at 275 for 2.5 (yes! 2.5) hours or until they pass the 
toothpick test.  The dough is a VERy dark brown and will look done sooner than
it really is.  If anything besides the fruit sticks to the toothpick,
let it bake.
When done baking:
Let cool 15 min.  Then CAREFULLY turn out (it has little mechanical adhesion)
into cellophane backed with foil.  You may add a splash of rum at this sime.
Let the whole mess age for about 2 weeks before eating.
Makes 12-14 1 lb loaves. (Most of the time, it is variable depending on the
dryness of raisins and dried fruit.)