Glazed & Decorated Christmas Cake

Name: Glazed & Decorated Christmas Cake
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 18 ozs semi-sweet chocolate (divided); 1 cup Golden raisins; 0.5 cup mixed candied citrus peel (finely chopped); 2.75 cups all-purpose flour; 0.333 cup Almond flour; 1 pinch salt; 0.5 tsp allspice; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground Nutmeg; 1.5 cups butter (softened); 1.5 cups brown sugar; 2 tsps fresh lemon zest; 6 large eggs (lightly beaten); 3 Tbsps Brandy (plus extra for soaking); 1 cup Apricot Jam; 4 ozs almond paste; 0.25 cup powdered sugar; 10 Springform pan; butter (or cooking spray for the pan)

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Difficulty:

moderate

Difficulty

Preparation:

40 min.

Preparation

ready in 2 h.

Ready in

Ingredients

for

servings

Ingredients: 18 ozs semi-sweet chocolate (divided); 1 cup Golden raisins; ½ cup mixed candied citrus peel (finely chopped); 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 0.333 cup Almond flour; 1 pinch salt; ½ tsp allspice; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground Nutmeg; 1 ½ cups butter (softened); 1 ½ cups brown sugar; 2 tsps fresh lemon zest; 6 large eggs (lightly beaten); 3 Tbsps Brandy (plus extra for soaking); 1 cup Apricot Jam

For Marzipan: 4 ozs almond paste; ¼ cup powdered sugar

In Addition: 10 Springform pan; butter (or cooking spray for the pan)

How healthy are the main ingredients?

raisins salt cinnamon Nutmeg egg

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Preparation

Kitchen utensils

1 Measuring cups, 1 Cutting board, 1 Small knife, 1 Tablespoon, 1 Teaspoon, 1 Citrus juicer, 1 Blender

Preparation steps

Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC. Coat a springform pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

Finely chop half of the chocolate. In a medium bowl, combine chopped chocolate, raisins, candied peel, flour, almonds, salt and spices.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest. Gradually add the beaten egg to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, once incorporated, add the remaining half. Add 3 tablespoons brandy; stir to blend well.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes in preheated oven, or until cake is cooked through. Allow cake to cool, loosen the edges and release from the mold and cool completely. Slice the cake in half horizontally. Sprinkle brandy over both halves and let it soak into the cake.

Heat the jam over medium-low heat and spread it over the bottom half of the cake; place the remaining half on top.

Melt the remaining chocolate in the top half of a double-boiler set over simmering water. Spread the chocolate over the cake and place in a cool spot to allow the chocolate to harden.

To Decorate:

Combine the almond paste and confectioners' sugar; knead to thoroughly blend. Roll marzipan out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and cut out decorative shapes. Arrange shapes artfully on cake. Slice and serve.

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