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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 16 |
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An Italian confection that is a cross between fruit cake, candy, and honey cakes. Italy it's also called Siena cake, and dates back to the 13th century. Most often it is served at Christmas with a port wine or brandy, I like it with a slice of soft cheese like Brie. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter |
1/2 cup honey |
1/2 cup sugar |
1 oz unsweetened chocolate |
1 medium orange, juice and grated zest |
1 cup toasted hazelnuts |
1 cup chopped, pitted dry figs |
1/2 cup diced candied pineapple |
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots |
1/3 cup chopped candied cherries |
1/3 cup flour |
1/3 cup cocoa |
1 teaspoon cinnamon |
1 teaspoon nutmeg |
1/2 teaspoon cloves |
1/2 teaspoon black pepper |
1 tbsp calvados liqueur |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease and line a 9 spring-form pan.
2. In a small pan, melt butter, add sugar, honey, chocolate, orange juice and zest.
3. Stir to mix well, then cook, medium high, without stirring, to 250 on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes or hard ball stage.
4. While the sugar mixture cooks, mix toasted hazelnuts, chopped fruit, spices, flour and cocoa.
5. When sugar mixture reaches desired temperature, stir it into the dry ingredients. T
6. his will be a heavy, sticky mixture, so stir well to make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated.
7. Scrape into prepared pan. Moisten your fingertips in water and press batter into bottom and sides of pan.
8. Bake 50 - 60 minutes, until top of cake looks set.
9. Cool on a rack, removing sides of spring-form after 10 minutes.
10. When cooled, sprinkle or brush top with Calvados, wrap in plastic cling wrap and let rest for a week in the refrigerator before serving.
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