Let it snow!
Follow our step-by-step guide and impress your family and friends with this alpine showstopper, inspired by a snowy mountain village
A guide to decorating your Christmas cake with a wintry Alpine scene
SERVES ABOUT 20, GENEROUSLY
PREP about 2hr, plus chilling and drying COOK about 20min
DECORATES 1 X 20.5CM (8IN) CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE
• 3tbsp apricot jam
• Icing sugar, to dust
• 600g (1lb 5oz) natural marzipan
• 100g (3½oz) granulated sugar
• Green food colouring in 2 shades (see Cook’s Tip)
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• Festive sugar sprinkles, optional
FOR THE GINGERBREAD CHALETS (Makes approximately 6)
• 75g (3oz) butter
• 3½tbsp golden syrup
• 60g (2½oz) light brown soft sugar
• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2tsp ground ginger
FOR THE ROYAL ICING
• 4 large egg whites
• 3tsp lemon juice
• 3tsp glycerine
• 1kg (2lb 3½oz) icing sugar
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
• About 12 pretzel sticks
• 25.5cm (10in) cake board
• Piping bags, and plain nozzles in 5mm (¼in) and 3mm (⅛in) Two days before you want to serve the cake, follow steps 1-8
1 Put cake on a 25.5cm (10in) cake board. Make a single cut into cake, as if you were cutting the first slice. Then, 90° from first cut, using a sharp or serrated knife, make a diagonal cut towards first cut and, keeping the point of the knife in the middle of the cake, slice at a 45° angle downwards to meet the base of the cake (see picture, right).
2 Remove wedge of cake, turn upside down and place on top of the cake, aligning straight-cut edges. This way, you should have a small platform at the top, a slope down to the main cake, and another slope down to the board.
3 Warm jam in a small pan with 1tbsp water. Pass through a sieve, and use to secure platform on to cake, then brush jam all over cake. Dust a work surface with icing sugar. Shape 500g (1lb 2oz) of the marzipan into a disc and roll out to a rough oval shape about 30-35cm (11½13½in) – large enough to cover the cake. Wrap remaining marzipan in baking parchment to make the trees later.
4 Lift marzipan on to cake (see picture) and smooth into position, trimming away any excess to use for trees. Leave cake overnight at room temperature, so marzipan hardens slightly.
5 Make marzipan trees: divide remaining marzipan into 12 balls weighing 10-20g (⅓-¾oz), so they vary in size. Roll into cones and press a pretzel stick into base of each to make the trunk.
6 Divide granulated sugar between two plates. Using a fork, mix a different shade of green food colouring into each plate of sugar until evenly coloured – start with a few drops, and add more until you reach desired shade. Brush each tree with egg white and roll in green sugar to cover (see picture). Put on baking parchment to set overnight.
7 To make gingerbread dough, put butter, golden syrup and light brown sugar in a pan. Stir on low heat until
sugar dissolves. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl, then mix together. Make a well in the centre and pour in butter mixture. Stir to form a dough, then shape into a disc, wrap in baking parchment and chill for 30min.
8 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll dough out to thickness of a £1 coin. Using the template on our website (see above), cut out the shapes to make three gingerbread chalets and chimneys and transfer to baking sheets. Use any leftover gingerbread to make additional chalets. Chill for 20min, then bake for 10-12min until golden (the chimneys will take only 8-10min). Cool on the trays. One day before serving the cake, follow steps 9-12
9 To make royal icing, put egg whites into a large bowl and whisk until frothy. Add lemon juice, glycerine and 2tbsp icing sugar and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in rest of icing sugar a little at a time until mixture is smooth and thick, and forms soft peaks.
10 Transfer ⅓ of icing to a piping bag fitted with 5mm (¼in) nozzle. Use icing to construct gingerbread chalets: connect wall sections and allow to set before securing roof pieces (see picture).
11 Spread icing on roofs as ‘snow’, and add chimneys. Using the smaller nozzle, pipe on ‘windows’ (see picture). Add sugar sprinkles, if you like. Allow to set.
12 Using a palette knife, smooth half remaining icing over top and sides of cake to create a smooth base, then use rest of icing to cover it. Neaten around sides with a palette knife, then use tip to make peaks on top. Arrange gingerbread chalets on cake. Add marzipan trees. Leave to set in a cool place for at least 8hr before serving. Keep cake in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
PER SLICE (INC GINGERBREAD): CALS 621; FAT 15G; SAT FAT 7G; CARBS 112G