Almond and Fruit Cakes
2 Reviews
About the bake
This recipe is bought to you from William and Suzue Curley and features in their Patisserie book. They are also a popular seller in their shop. Why not try to create these fruity bakes yourself today. You can try topping them with a variety of fruits and nuts, get creative. Best eaten the same day, but can be stored in an airtight container and consumed within 1–2 days.
Method
Step 1
Make the apricot puree by putting the water, sugar and apricots in a pan together and heating gently for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
Ingredients for this step
- Water (1 tbsp)
- Silver Spoon White caster sugar (1 tsp)
- Apricot(s) (stoned and chopped) (50g)
Step 2
Transfer to a food processor, blitz until smooth and then pass through a fine sieve. Set aside.
Step 3
For the cakes, put the butter in a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat.
Ingredients for this step
- Butter (unsalted) (100g)
- Almonds (ground) (200g)
- Silver Spoon White caster sugar (1 tsp)
- Egg white(s) (free range) (2)
- Honey (40g)
- Egg(s) (free range) (beaten) (4)
Step 4
Put the ground almonds, sugar and egg whites in the bowl and beat to a paste. This can also be mixed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Step 5
Gradually add in the reserved apricot purée and honey and beat until it is a smooth paste. Gradually mix in the whole eggs and lastly the melted butter.
Step 6
Put in a container and place in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C/gas mark 4).
Step 7
Take the mixture from the fridge and spoon into a piping (pastry) bag fitted with a 10mm plain nozzle.
Step 8
Pipe into each hole of the mini-muffin mould until three-quarters full.
Step 9
Decorate the cakes with a variety of different toppings: cherries and chopped pistachios; raspberries and almonds; and plum and chopped hazelnuts.
Ingredients for this step
- Cherries (cut in half and stoned) (16)
- Pistachio nuts (20g)
- Raspberries (cut in half) (16)
- Almonds (whole) (cut in half) (20g)
- Plum(s) (cut in half, stoned, thinly sliced) (2)
- Hazelnuts (20g)
Step 10
Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden on top.
Ingredients
For the apricot puree
- 1 tbspWater
- 1 tspSilver Spoon White caster sugar
- 50gApricot(s) (stoned and chopped)
For the cakes
- 100gButter (unsalted)
- 200gAlmonds (ground)
- 200gSilver Spoon White caster sugar
- 2Egg white(s) (free range)
- 40gHoney
- 4Egg(s) (free range) (beaten)
For the topping
- 16Cherries (cut in half and stoned)
- 20gPistachio nuts
- 16Raspberries (cut in half)
- 20gAlmonds (whole) (cut in half)
- 2Plum(s) (cut in half, stoned, thinly sliced)
- 20gHazelnuts