Ingredients
- 425G currants
- 250G Sultanas
- 250G Raisins
- 300G Glace Cherries (quartered, rinsed and drained)
- 150G Ready to eat Dried Apricots (Snipped into small pieces)
- 75G Mix Candied Peel
- 4 or 5 tbsp Brandy or any other liquor
- 300G Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
- 300G Softened Unsalted Butter
- 300G Dark Muscovado Sugar
- 4 Medium Eggs
- 1 tbsp Black Treacle
- Zest of 1 Orange & 1 Lemon
- 60G almonds roughly chopped (not blanched)
Method
1 Combine dried fruit and candied peel in a large bowl, add the brandy and mix well. cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
2 Preheat oven to 140C | 120C (fan oven) | Gas 1. Place the remaining ingredients except the almonds in a large bowl, beat with an electric hand mixer until well combined and stir in the nuts and the soaking fruit.
3 Grease a 23 cm wide, deep round tin or a 20 cm square tin with butter and line with a double layer of baking paper and grease the paper. Spoon the mixture in the tin, level the top and cover with a disk of baking paper.
4 Bake for 4 – 5 hours or until firm to the touch. Check by inserting a skewer and ensuring it comes out clean.
Recipe by Mari Almeida