Honeyed Christmas Cake

Pastry:
230g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
100g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
2 tbsp white wine
1 tsp vanilla extract
500g plain flour
½ tsp salt

Filling:
80g raisins, chopped
80g pine nuts, chopped
200g toasted walnuts, chopped
150g chopped candied peel
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp toasted breadcrumbs
250g clear honey
1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:
Make the pastry: cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, wine and vanilla. Mix well.
Fold in the flour and salt and then form into a dough. Wrap and chill.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Butter a deep 25cm, springform tin.
Mix the raisins, nuts, peel, spices and breadcrumbs. Heat the honey in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, then stir into the nut mixture. Set aside.

Divide the pastry in 2 pieces (2/3 and 1/3). Roll out the larger piece into a disc to line the base and sides of the tin with 2cm extra at the edge. Put in the tin. Add the filling mixture. Bring the edges of the dough over the filling. Roll out the small piece and trim to fit the top of the tin. Brush the dough with water. Put the top on the filling. Press the edges firmly. Brush with beaten egg and pierce with a skewer. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180.C and bake for 15 minutes. Cool in the tin (and decorate with the baked peel of unwaxed oranges and lemons if desired), then serve in slices. Serves 10–12

Chef
0 min
Serves 0