High-grade flour helps prevent the fruit from sinking. Keeps for several months wrapped in foil in a cool place.
Ingredients
| 1 9/10 kgs | Mixed fruit, dried, glace cherries and mixed peel |
| ¾ cup | Brandy, or sherry (Main) |
| 1 | Lemon, finely grated rind and juice |
| 100 g | Blanched almonds, coarsely chopped |
| 1 | Orange, finely grated rind and juice |
| 4 cups | High grade flour, (500g) |
| 4 tsp | Mixed spice |
| 500 g | Butter, softened |
| 8 | Eggs, well beaten |
| 500 g | Soft brown sugar |
| ½ cup | Marmalade, or tangy apricot jam |
Directions
- Combine dried fruit in a bowl. Drizzle liquor over fruit and stand overnight.
- Add citrus rind and juice and almonds. Mix well.
- Lightly grease a deep, 26cm square cake pan.
- Line the base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper. Preheat oven to 160 degC.
- Sift the flour and mixed spice into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour. Add a little beaten egg and mix until well combined.
- Continue, adding 2 tablespoons of flour and a little egg at a time.
- Spoon into the prepared cake pan. Press down lightly and smooth the top with a wet hand.
- The top may be garnished with blanched almonds.
- Bake for about 3 hours, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan.
- Brush with whisky, brandy or sherry before storing in an airtight container for at least 4 weeks before cutting.
- To remove the skins from hazelnuts, roast the nuts at 180 degC for about 10 minutes or until lightly coloured, then place in a large sieve and shake.
- This should remove most of the skins. Rub the rest off with a clean tea towel.
Tips: Dried fruits are chock-full of fibre and a wide variety of essential nutrients including vitamins A and B6, and magnesium.
However, because the fruits have had moisture extracted,