Christmas cake
(Created by Beverley Dunkley - Head of CHOCOLATE ACADEMY™ center United Kingdom)
Cake
| Ingredients | Preparation |
|---|---|
|
175 ml
rum
125 g raisins 70 g currants 50 g chopped dates 50 g candied peel (citrus fruits) 50 g dried sour cherries |
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and leave to soak for at least one hour. |
|
75 g
whole walnuts
75 g flaked almonds 50 g whole hazelnuts |
Set the oven to 140°C. Gently roast all the nuts until light brown. |
|
125 g
unsalted butter
50 g castor sugar |
Cream the butter and sugar. |
|
100 g
plain flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice |
Sieve together onto the creamed butter and sugar. |
| 3 large eggs | Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, blending all ingredients into a smooth dough. |
|
175 g
ground almonds
Zest of 1 lemon |
Stir in and add the marinated fruit and roasted nuts. |
|
450 g
clear honey
300 g melted dark chocolate Callebaut Select 811NV 1 tablespoon black treacle |
Stir in. |
| Line a 23 cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Pour the cake dough into the tin and bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Cool in the tin. Store wrapped in aluminium foil. | |
Chocolate roll-out fondant
| Ingredients | Preparation |
|---|---|
| 1 gelatine sheet (3.18 g) | Soak the gelatine in cold water for 20 minutes. |
| 40 ml water | Dissolve the gelatine in the water over a gentle heat. |
|
80 g
glucose
30 g white vegetable fat 1 dessert spoon of glycerine |
Add and dissolve gently together without overheating. |
| 1 teaspoon of vanilla | Add. |
|
340 g
icing sugar
190 g cocoa powder Callebaut CP |
Sieve together. Add a little bit at a time to the cooled liquids. |
| Use straight away or store wrapped in cling film in an airtight container. Knead well before use. | |
Finishing and presentation
Cover the cake with marzipan.
Coat the cake with the chocolate roll-out fondant.
In advance make some chocolate leaves: pre-crystallise plain,
milk and white chocolate, mould leaves and before they are set
sprinkle with chopped dried fruits and nuts.
Mould a ribbon by pre-cutting a transfer into thin strips: Spread
pre-crystallised chocolate onto the transfer strips and curl around
a knife steel to create the curled ribbon. Place in the fridge for
5 minutes, remove from steel, carefully peel off transfer after 20
minutes. To create the bow spread pre-crystallised chocolate onto
the strips one at a time and on setting fold together. Again place
in the fridge for 5 minutes. After 20 minutes carefully peel off
the transfer.
Arrange the chocolate leaves on the cake in a wheat sheaf design
attaching with pre-crystallised chocolate.
Arrange ribbon and attach with pre-crystallised chocolate.
