Mini Dundee cakes

Method

1. The night before, mix the dried fruit, peel, 3 tbsp of the whisky and the orange zest and juice in a bowl, then cover. Soak overnight (see Tips below).
2. Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg a little at a time, adding 1 tbsp flour after the second and third addition. Sift over the remaining flour, baking powder and nutmeg, then fold in using a balloon whisk, adding a little milk if necessary to get a soft dropping consistency. Fold in the ground hazelnuts, then the whisky-soaked fruit and any juices. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins. Bake in the centre of the oven for about an hour or until a skewer pushed into the centre of each cake comes out clean.
3. Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 30 minutes, then remove from the tins, put on a wire rack and leave until completely cold. Wrap the cakes in compostable baking paper, then foil. Store in an airtight tin until you’re ready to decorate the cakes, feeding them with whisky over the first 5 days (see Tip below).
Recipe continues after advertising
Advertisement
4. For the marzipan, put the 200g skinned hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse to grind finely. Add the icing sugar and process once more until the nuts are very finely ground. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, then add the sugary ground nuts a little at a time until the mixture comes together into a ball and becomes smooth and malleable but not overly wet and sticky. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar and knead until extra smooth.
5. Divide into 4 equal pieces, knead each into a round, then roll out to 10cm or 15cm discs, according to the size of your tins. Trim the edges neatly with a sharp knife, using a small upturned saucer or dish as a template. Reserve the trimmings.
6. Put the no–peel marmalade in a small pan with 1 tbsp cold water and heat gently over a low heat. Brush the top of each cake with the glaze (you may need to trim the cakes first to get a flat top) and cover with discs of marzipan. Crimp the edges attractively with your fingers. Re-knead and roll the marzipan trimmings, then cut out small holly-leaf shapes. Brush one side of each leaf with glaze and use to decorate the tops of each cake. Using a blowtorch, carefully burnish the marzipan. If you’re adding whole hazelnuts to decorate, dip the base of each in the glaze first.
7. If you’re giving the cakes as gifts, you could tie a festive ribbon around each, then wrap in cellophane, tying it in place at the top with more ribbon. Otherwise, devour with joy!