Christmas Cake recipe

INGREDIENTS:

110g (4oz) real glacé cherries 50g (2oz) whole almonds

350g (12oz) best-quality sultanas 350g (12oz) best-quality currants 350g (12oz) best-quality raisins

110g (4oz) homemade candied peel

(page 327) 50g (2oz) ground almonds rind of 1 organic unwaxed lemon rind of 1 organic unwaxed orange 70ml (21/2fl oz) Irish whiskey

225g (8oz) butter, softened 225g (8oz) pale soft brown sugar or golden caster sugar

6 eggs, preferably free-range and organic 275g (10oz) plain flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice 1 large or 2 small Bramley’s Seedling cooking apples, grated Almond Paste ingredients:

450g (1lb) golden caster sugar

450g (1lb) ground almonds

2 small eggs, preferably free-range and organic 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey a drop of pure almond extract (be careful, it’s very intense) icing sugar, for dusting the worktop 1 egg white, lightly beaten, or apricot jam

2 egg yolks, beaten (for the toasted almond cake only) or

Fondant icing

1 x 450g (1lb) packet fondant (optional) INSTRUCTIONS:

Line the base and sides of a 23cm (9in) round or a 20.5cm (8in) square tin with a double thickness of silicone paper. Tie a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin.

Have a double sheet of brown or silicone paper ready to lay on top of the tin during cooking. Wash the cherries and dry them gently. Cut in halves or quarters, as desired. Blanch the whole almonds in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, rub off the skins and chop them finely. Mix together the dried fruit and peel, chopped almonds, ground almonds and grated lemon and orange rind. Add about half of the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. If you are using a fan oven, check your oven handbook – ovens vary, but as a general guideline we recommend reducing the oven temperature by 20°C/70°F. It can help to put a dish of water in a fan oven while the cake is baking to keep it from drying out.

Cream the butter until very soft, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and add in bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle. Mix the flour and the mixed spice together and stir in gently (don’t beat).

Add the grated cooking apple to the fruit and mix in gently but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake). You can of course use a mixer if one is available, but the same principle applies.

Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake: this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked.

Lay a double sheet of brown paper on top of the cake to protect the surface from the direct heat. Put into the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 160°C/320°F/ gas mark 3. Bake for a further 2 1/2 hours approx., until cooked.

Test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out completely clean. If not, allow a further 10 minutes in the oven. If at that point it’s still not fully cooked, allow 10 minutes more. Pour the rest of the whiskey over the cake and leave it to cool in the tin overnight.