TUSCAN CHRISTMAS CAKE

A traditional Italian Christmas cake from Tuscany. Incredibly fragrant and rich with a variety of intense flavors. It has a long shelf life, making it perfect for preparing in advance and sharing with loved ones throughout the holiday season. It’s not only great for festive gatherings but also makes for delightful edible Christmas gifts.

Ingredients

• 115 g of hazelnuts

• 115 g of almonds

• 85 g of dried papaya

• 55 g of apricots

• 55 g of cranberries

• 1 orange zest

• 55 g of flour (I use all-purpose white flour as per the traditional recipe)

• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoonof cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon of cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom

• 220 g of honey

• For decoration: powdered sugar / coconut flakes for sprinkling

Instructions

I toast the hazelnuts and almonds in a pan until they are golden brown. Then, I chop them with a knife.

I also chop larger dried fruits.

I combine the nuts and fruits in a large bowl. I add flour, cocoa powder and spices. I grate some orange zest into the mixture.

I warm the honey over low heat for a few minutes. I pour it over the nuts and fruits, mix everything well and transfer it to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

I bake it in a preheated oven at 150°C for about an hour.

Once baked, I let it cool.

Before serving, I decorate it with "snow" - shredded coconut.

SKANAUS!