Well, Nan, you made my day. My right hand is being a bother and I'm down in the dumps on the whole thing.

Tell her to give the yeast plenty of time before she brings in all the other stuff. Just remember that the object is to make a kind of wine base. What fruits go in are really up to the person who is doing the making. My wife and I have been making these for decades and always get several requests each year. My sister-in-law makes them and sells them for $25 each. That price is just enough to break even. We give them away to friends and neighbors at Christmas time. So far, it seems to be something that is in high demand each winter season.

Tell her I wish her luck and good tastings.

Ted

So she should start with what, yeast + water? How long to wait before putting in the rest?

That's great Nan! There's a few online too.


Ted, Sorry about your hand. I hope it heals fast.

I'm starting one tonight. I just bought everything for your recipe and I bought all name brand stuff to make sure it was good, except the cherries. They didn't have good cherries unless it was in the alcohol/drink making isle.

What size glass container do I need? Can I use a one gallon plastic container with a lid? Does it need to burp? What temperature to keep it?

Has anybody used that new Platinum yeast? I saw it and it's supposed to rise more so I had to try it.
[url]https://redstaryeast.com/platinum/[/url]

Here's the next morning, it looks like the yeast is working.

Just a quick note. When you start yeast, please remember that it needs its "food" to grow and be healthy. So, make sure the yeast has enough room to grow and plenty of "sugars" to feed on and make the alcohol we are looking for. It's okay to put the yeast into the water and also add in the first of the fruits. Think about the yeast as little critters that are make this cake taste good and treat them appropriately.

Robert and Nan = We use a glass jug from Walmart that is normally used for tea, and has a spout on it. I've seen times when we had 5 of these working at the same time.

I posted a question about flour and it is gone.
Asking again.
What would really be the best flour? .
Bread cake or all purpose?
All I keep on hand is bread flour.
Worth

I saw your post come through, Worth. Don't know where it went. Off into the vortex? Rob, I would rather that you just keep your posts here. Anyone can start a thread but that doesn't make it "their" thread, so you are not hijacking anything. I can move it tomorrow, as I'm so busy baking tonight.

I have never even thought that anyone would think I would object to a recipe and results for a friendship cake being in this thread.
It has fruit and it is a cake.
So it is a fruitcake.:lol:
Besides my and or any objection would be powerless, uncalled for and without merit.:)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


After research will be going with AP flour.

Next as many of you may know I wont be following any recipe to the so called T.
There will be variations made by me to my liking.
More or less a hybrid fruit/nut cake.
My main concern is the batter.
I prefer my fruit cake dark, sticky, moist, firm and gooey with lots of nuts and fruit.
Mixed nuts ((without)) peanuts come to mind as well as Brazil nuts and filberts.
One more cup of coffee and off to the store.

OK, I'll keep it here. Please delete the other thread.

Got back from the [B]((Great Battle Of The Grocery Carts))[/B] with enough stuff to mess up several fruitcakes.
The store didn't have any dried citron or what ever the stuff is called.
I remember a day the shelves were full of it.
Times and tastes have changed and not for the good sometimes.
But alas we marched ahead, 'My alter ego and I, and did what we could do and came out better anyway in my/our opinion.
Ended up getting way to much of.........
Dried apricots pineapples dates cherries and raisins.
Nuts.
Pecan halves, walnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts.
Molasses.
Steens cane syrup.
Brown sugar.
All purpose flour.
Stopped at the >>>>OTHER<<<< store and got good Kentucky Bourbon and dark rum.
My alter ego just had to have the dark rum for what ever reason, we shall see what he comes up with.:))
No I/We wont be mixing bourbon and rum.:no::lol:

Worth

You're off to a good start, Worth!

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;718076]You're off to a good start, Worth![/QUOTE]

The Steens cane syrup is as close as I can get to the stuff our neighbor made many years ago.
This stuff (ribbon cane syrup) was made in a three cylinder mill the next place down from us turned by an old mule.
My last quart jar lasted about 18 years or more, I cant remember now it has been so long ago.
Frank Bridges bought it in 1977 and gave1/2 gallon of it back to me in 84 and I used it up in 2000 something in the house I am in now.
What ever how long that was. :lol:
Just checked, the stuff was 28 years old.
Frank by the way came to Texas in a covered wagon as a little boy was retired Army and served in WWII AND Korea.:)

Finding dried apricots was beyond my wildest dreams.:D
Was I dreaming, on drugs or in a drunken stupor, 'I think not, it is was and is dried apricots.

My kinfolks in Rising Star Texas had a forest of apricot trees right across the road from the school playground.
As a wee child I was allowed to pick and take home all I could eat and pick.

Worth