SIMNEL

Recipe by Laurent Triballier Head Pastry Chef INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

Makes a 20cm cake to serve 12 1. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C / 130°C Fan / Gas 2. Grease a 20cm (8 in) deep round cake tin then line the base and sides For the fruit cake: with baking parchment. 100g glace cherries 2. Cut the cherries into quarters, put in a sieve and rinse under 225g soft running water. Drain well then dry thoroughly on kitchen paper. 225g light brown sugar Measure all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and 200g eggs (approx 4 medium eggs) beat well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Place half the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. 225g self raising 3. Take one-third of the and roll it out into a circle the 225g sultanas size of the tin and then place on top of the cake mixture already 100g currants in the tin. Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top and level 50g chopped candied mixed peel the surface. zest of 2 lemons 4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 2 hours 30 mins until well risen, evenly brown and firm to the touch. Cover with foil 2 tsp ground mixed spice after 1 hour if the top is browning too quickly. Leave to cool in a pinch of salt the tin for 10 minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and a pinch of nutmeg finish cooling on a wire rack. 1 tsp vanilla extract 5. When the cake is cool, brush the top with your selected jam or marmalade and roll out half the remaining marzipan to fit the For the filling and topping: top. Press firmly on the top and crimp the edges to decorate. I 450g marzipan like to mark a criss-cross pattern on the marzipan using a sharp knife. 3 tblsp of your preferred jam or marmalade 6. Brush the marzipan with the beaten egg and then place the 1 large egg for the glaze cake under a hot grill to turn the marzipan golden.

7. When the cake is cool, use the remaining marzipan to EQUIPMENT decorate the top of the cake. Conventionally eleven, or occasionally twelve, marzipan You will need: 20cm deep round cake tin, baking balls are used to decorate the cake, with a story that the parchment, sieve, sharp knife, kitchen paper, large balls represent the 12 apostles, minus Judas or Jesus. Or mixing bowl, wooden spoon, rolling pin, tin foil, why not get creative and decorate with egg or flower cooling rack, pastry brush shaped marzipan to represent Spring and !

PREP TIME: 1HR Enjoy! COOK TIME: 2HR 30 MINS TOTAL TIME: 3HR 30MINS (PLUS COOLING TIME)