Directions
Preparing the Fruit
Chop the figs into quarters. Break the walnuts into chunks. Blanch the almonds,
and dry them in a low oven. Cut the pistachios in halves. Dice the crystallized
ginger. Wash and pick over the raisins and currants to remove any bits of stalk.
Put all the fruit into a large mixing bowl, and toss it with a
tablespoonful of flour so the pieces don't stick together. Pour a tablespoonful of
wine over the top, and toss again. Leave overnight.
Making the Cake Batter
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Separate the eggs. Beat the whites until they are stiff,
and then beat the yolks until they are pale.
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Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the yolks,
and then fold in the whites, mixing until smooth. Add the golden syrup, and beat
until smooth.
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Add the dry ingredients gradually, beating well between additions.
When the batter becomes too thick to mix easily, add some of the wine. Continue
adding the dry ingredients, alternating with the wine and orange juice, until the batter is
smoothly blended.
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Mixing in the Fruit
Stir in the fruit by hand. Add a cup or two at a time, stirring in with a spurtle or
wooden spoon. As the batter becomes full of fruit, this will become increasingly
difficult; but it is possible. Eventually, what you have will look like a big bowlful
of fruit covered stickily with batter.
Preparing the Cake Pan
This type of cake is baked in a deep round cake pan with a removable base (not a regular
square cake tin). Alternatively, use a large loaf pan.
Take a large brown paper bag (or plain brown paper), and cut two
pieces. First, you need a strip long enough to go round the inside sides of the pan
with at least two inches to spare for overlap. This should be at least an inch or two
higher than the cake tin. Second, you need a round piece that is at least two inches
wider than the base of the cake tin.
Lay the brown paper on the kitchen counter, and pour a little
cooking oil on it. Brush or rub the oil over the paper until all the paper is greased.
Be sure to oil both sides of the paper. I generally use my fingers: it's
a lot like fingerpainting, and rather fun. (Wash your hands after.)
Put the round piece in the cake pan, pushing it down so that it
covers the base and comes a little way up the sides all round. Then put the long strip
in, winding it round the cake pan inside the sides of the round piece, so there is a
good overlap.
Filling the Cake Tin
Pack the batter into the cake pan. Put a few spoonsful in the bottom first, pressing
it into the sides of the pan, being sure that it holds the greased brown paper firmly in place.
Then add the rest of the batter, firming it down lightly as you go so there are no gaps.
When all the batter is in the pan, smooth the top over with a
wet knife. Scrape any spare batter from the mixing bowl, and use it to cover exposed
fruit, especially any larger pieces.
Baking
Bake at 300°F for at least two hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn
off the oven, and let the cake cool in the oven overnight.
Wrapping the Cake
Gently remove the greased paper from the cake but do not throw it away.
Brush the cake all over with brandy.
Replace the greased paper around the cake. Cut two pieces
of waxed paper, and wrap the cake in it, first one way and then the other, so there are no gaps.
Then cut a large piece of aluminum foil, and wrap the cake again, pressing the foil
around the cake so that the waxed paper lies flat underneath. If the foil is not wide
enough to cover the cake completely, use a second piece.
Storage
Store the cake for at least one month before cutting. However, it can be made as much
as a year ahead of time, and just gets better with age. If you make it far in advance,
check it once or twice during the year, each time brushing it over again with brandy.
Even a cut cake will store indefinitely, if well wrapped.
Should it dry out, simply put it in a large cake tin with a piece of wet paper towel:
the damp will be absorbed by the cake. Alternatively, you can steam it in a pressure
cooker; but this will somewhat alter the texture, making it more like a Christmas pudding.
Cutting the Cake
Slice across the cake to produce a large slice no more than half an inch thick. This
is then cut into long narrow fingers about one to one and a half inches across.
Makes one cake.
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