This rich, spicy nougat-type cake is a
Christmas specialty of Siena in Italy.
Ingredients : Makes one 20 cm round cake
275 g
115 g
50 g
50 g
5 ml
1.5 ml
175 g
60 ml
Mixed chopped exotic peel,
to include lemon orange, citron,
papaya and pineapple
Unblanched almonds
Walnut, halves
Plain flour
Ground cinnamon
Grated nutmeg, ground cloves
and ground coriander
Caster sugar
Water icing sugar, for dusting
Method :
Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas
4. Grease and baseline a 20 cm round loose-based cake tin with rice
paper. put the mixed peel and nuts in a bowl. Sift in the flour and
spices. Mix well.
Dissolve the caster sugar and water in
a small saucepan, then boil until mixture reaches 170oC/225oF
on a sugar thermometer (thread stage). Pour on to the fruit mixture,
stirring to coat well.
Transfer to the cake tin, pressing
into the sides with a metal spoon.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the
mixture is bubbling. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
Use a lightly oiled palette knife to
work around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Remove the cake from the
tin, leaving the base in place. Leave to go cold, then remove the base
and dust generously with icing sugar.