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25 g/1 oz fresh yeast or 40 ml/2.5 tbsp
dried yeast
120 ml/4 fl oz/0.5 cup warm milk
50 g/2 oz raisins
50 g/2 oz currants
25 g/1 oz/3 tbsp chopped mixed (candied) peel
15 ml/1 tbsp rum
450 g/1 lb/4 cups strong plain (bread) flour
5 ml/1 tsp salt
5 ml/1 tsp ground allspice
A pinch of ground ginger
100 g/4 oz caster (superfine) sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
175 g/6 oz butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
For the topping:
60 ml/4 tbsp apricot jam (conserve), sieved (strained)
30 ml/2 tbsp water
100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
50 g/2 oz/0.5 cup flaked (slivered) almonds, toasted |
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Method:
Blend the yeast with a little of the
warm milk and leave in a warm place for 20 minutes until frothy. Place
the raisins, currants and mixed peel in a bowl, sprinkle with the rum
and leave to soak. Place the flour, salt and spices in a bowl and stir
in the sugar and lemon rind. Make a well in the centre, pour in the
yeast mixture, the remaining milk and the eggs and work together to
make a dough. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm
(plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in
size. Knead the fruit and rum into the risen dough and mix well. Spoon
the mixture into a well-buttered 20 cm/8 in gugelhopf tin (fluted tube
pan), cover and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes until the dough
has almost doubled in volume and reached to the top of the tin. Bake
in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 45 minutes until a
skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cover with a double
layer of greaseproof (waxed) paper towards the end of the cooking if
the cake is becoming too brown. Turn out and leave to cool.
Heat the jam with the water, stirring until well blended. Brush over
the cake. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of
gently simmering water. Spread over the cake and press the flaked
almonds around the base before the chocolate sets.
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