Ordinary to Extraordinary: Fruitcake

Fruitcake is the holiday dessert with the worst rap. But if you’re someone who likes to have fun with food, you’ll find you might actually love this Christmas tradition.

First, stop thinking of fruitcake as that thing you buy wrapped up at the store: a pale brown cake with those jewel-toned fruits.

Instead, take a few tips from Seattle Kitchen’s Tom Douglas, whose wife makes a delicious fruitcake bar each year.

Her recipe of choice comes from the Dahlia Bakery cookbook and the secret to that recipe, or other fruitcake recipes, is the ingredients.

“I don’t care if you’re making a chicken or a fruitcake – if you use great ingredients, it’s hard to screw it up,” said Tom.

For fruitcake, use organic, delicious, macerated dry fruit and it will make a huge difference. Tom also said not to shy away from using real butter.

And fruitcake doesn’t have to be a dessert that stands alone. Seattle Kitchen’s Chef in the Hat Thierry Rautureau said his mother always bought her fruitcake from the store, but what made it special was the creme anglaise.

Tom also suggested pairing a good cheese with fruitcake, like Beecher’s Flagship Reserve Truckle.