| For many people Christmas time is a hectic round | | | | this edging with cake crimpers - if you have them. |
| of shopping, cooking, writing cards and wrapping | | | | Failing that, press the decorated handle of a spoon |
| presents. And very often decorating the | | | | into the paste. Make an unusual decoration for the |
| Christmas cake is left to the last minute, so here | | | | centre of the cake by colouring some marzipan |
| are some tips to help you along the way. | | | | red and modelling it into a candle shape. Use a |
| One of the quickest designs is a pattern using any | | | | flaked almond for a flame, and then surprise |
| of the following: semi-dried fruits, glace fruits, | | | | everyone by lighting the almond on Christmas |
| angelica, cherries and different types of nuts. But | | | | Day - as nuts contain oil the almond will flame for |
| keep to three or four varieties, otherwise the | | | | a few moments! |
| design becomes too cluttered. If the top of the | | | | Make Christmas trees from a cone-shaped piece |
| cake is rounded, cut off, and upturn the cake so | | | | of green marzipan. Use sharp scissors and |
| the base becomes the top surface. Boil half a jar | | | | beginning at the top, make small snips all around |
| of apricot jam and press through a sieve. Brush | | | | the tree. Make snowballs from balls of sugarpaste, |
| the top surface of the cake with the jam, and | | | | very slightly moistened and covered in castor, or |
| cover with a design of fruit and nuts - a circular | | | | granulated sugar. To make holly leaves, roll out |
| design for a round cake and straight lines for a | | | | the paste and cut into a diamond shape. The |
| square cake. To give the decoration an attractive | | | | sharp points are made by cutting out sections |
| shine (and to hold the fruit and nuts in place) | | | | from around the edge of the leaf, with either an |
| brush over with jam, and lastly, tie a wide, red or | | | | icing nozzle or the tip/handle of a small spoon. |
| green ribbon around the cake. A similar decoration | | | | Mark veins on the leaf with the back of a knife. |
| can be made with marzipan fruits. | | | | For those who wish to venture into the field of |
| If you wish to spend slightly more time, decorate | | | | royal icing, a quick way to use this icing is by |
| the top of the cake with soft icing, and as before, | | | | making a 'snow scene'. First, apply a layer of |
| use ribbon, a cake frill, or a strip of Christmas | | | | marzipan to the cake and leave to dry for two |
| paper to place around the sides. Again use the | | | | days. The traditional way of making royal icing is |
| base of the cake as the top surface. Roll out | | | | with egg white and icing sugar, but icing sugar is |
| sugarpaste (rollout icing) or marzipan, until it is | | | | now available which already contains the correct |
| slightly larger than the top of the cake - make | | | | quantity of dried egg white - however, the icing |
| sure the paste moves freely. Brush the top of | | | | still needs a good beating! |
| the cake with apricot jam then upturn the cake | | | | Test the icing before applying to the cake. Using a |
| onto the sugarpaste, and cut away the surplus | | | | palette, or table knife, apply the icing about half an |
| paste. Place the cake on a cake board. Roll out a | | | | inch deep to the cake. Then, using the flat surface |
| length of paste, approximately half inch deep, and | | | | of the knife makes a slow 'bouncing' movement |
| cut a strip the same size. Moisten the paste | | | | on the icing. The icing will stand in peaks if it is the |
| around the edge of the cake and carefully position | | | | correct consistency. Leave until firm and sprinkle |
| the strip on the moist surface. Make a design on | | | | with edible glitter for a sparkling cake. |