Special Occasion Cakes Recipes - Pan forte

Ingredients

• 275g/1 2/3 cups mixed chopped exotic peel, to include lemon, orange, citron, papaya and pineapple

• 115g/1 cup unbleached almonds

• 50g/1/2 cup walnut halves

• 50g/1/2 cup plain flour

• 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp each grated nutmeg, ground

• cloves and ground coriander

• 175g/1 cup caster sugar

• 60m/4 tbsp water

• icing sugar, for dusting

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180'C/350'F/Gas 4. Grease and base­line a 20cm/8in round loose-based cake tin with rice paper. Put the mixed peel and nuts in a bowl. Sift in the flour and spices and mix well.

2. Dissolve the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan, then boil until the mixture reaches 107'C/225"F 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.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

4. 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.