Photo: from open sources
This pie with the addition of aromatic spices will be the highlight of any holiday feast.
The traditional Christmas cake is very flavorful due to the large amount of dried fruit, brandy and zest. It’s not at all difficult to prepare, the main thing is to stock up on the necessary products. Cook Sarah Hobbs shared the recipe for a classic Christmas pie, writes Taste.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 510 g (3 cups) light raisins;
- 340 g (2 cups) dark raisins;
- 155 g (1 cup) currants;
- 150 g (1 cup) pitted dates, finely chopped;
- 100 g piece of red glazed cherry, cut into quarters;
- 75 g (1/2 cup) dried pineapple, finely chopped;
- 185 ml (3/4 cup) brandy;
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest;
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest;
- 250 g butter at room temperature;
- 1 teaspoon melted butter for greasing;
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar;
- 4 eggs;
- 300 g (2 cups) flour;
- 1 teaspoon baking powder;
- 2 teaspoons of spice mixture (vanilla, cloves, cardamom);
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds for garnish;
- 1/2 cup pre-caramelized cherries, for decoration;
Preparation
- Combine raisins, currants, dates, cherries, pineapple, lemon zest, brandy and orange zest in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave, stirring occasionally, for 2 days to soak.
- Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease a 22cm (base size) round cake tin with melted butter. Line the bottom and sides with 3 layers of non-stick baking paper.
- Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well until mixture is smooth. Add the fruit mixture to the dough and stir. Add flour, baking powder and spices. Mix everything again so that there are no lumps. Place in prepared pan and smooth surface. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place almonds and cherries on top of the pie.
- Bake in the oven, covered with foil, for 2 hours 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Pour brandy over the hot pie. Allow to cool before removing.
You can also add other dried fruits to the pie: figs, dried apricots, prunes, cranberries.
