Brandied prune and chocolate cake

(from nbhattacharyya’s recipe box)

Ingredients

  • 700g • 11/2 lb chopped prunes see tip
  • 150ml • 5fl oz armagnac or brandy
  • 175g • 6oz plain flour
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 225g • 8oz dark muscovado sugar
  • 100g • 31/2 oz dark chocolate about 70 per cent cocoa
  • 225g • 8oz unsalted butter softened and diced
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 50g • 2oz ground almonds
  • 100ml • 31/2 fl oz smooth orange juice
  • 100g • 31/2 oz undyed glacé cherries halved
  • icing sugar for dusting
  • Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2248095/Christmas-recipe-Brandied-prune-chocolate-cake.html#ixzz2IPjikfeS
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Directions

  1. Place the prunes in a large bowl, pour over the armagnac or brandy, loosely cover and set aside overnight. If you remember, give the fruit a stir at some point.

  2. � Preheat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Butter a 23cm • 9in loose-bottom cake tin 7cm • 2¾ in deep, and line the base and sides with baking paper.

  3. ★ Sift together the flour and baking powder. If the sugar seems claggy, give it a whiz in a food processor. Chop or slice the chocolate into pieces the size of a raisin.

  4. ★ Cream the butter with the sugar in a food processor until light and fluffy. Now add the eggs one at a time, then the flour and ground almonds, and finally the orange juice. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and fold in the prune mixture, the cherries and chopped chocolate. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, smoothing the surface with a wooden spoon.

  5. ★ Bake for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted at the centre comes out either clean or very slightly tacky. Remove and leave to cool in the tin overnight.

  6. ★ The cake will be good to cut into from the following day, though like most fruitcakes this keeps well and can be stored in an airtight tin.

  7. ★ To serve, remove the paper, and liberally dust the surface with icing sugar. This can be replenished as necessary.

  8. TIP Ready-chopped prunes will save work and come in pieces the size of a raisin, otherwise you can do this by hand. If the pieces are much larger they tend to sink.

  9. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2248095/Christmas-recipe-Brandied-prune-chocolate-cake.html#ixzz2IPjtQppE

  10. Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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