This spectacular shortcake is ideal as the centrepiece for a cold buffet table, or as a sumptuous cake for tea.
120 g (4 oz) dried apricots
120 g (4 oz) dried prunes
280 ml (1/2 pint) red wine, or dry cider
120 g (4 oz) wholemeal flour
120 g (4 oz) polyunsaturated margarine
60 g (2 oz) unrefined soft brown sugar
60 g (2 oz) hazelnuts, freshly ground
3 tbsps finely chopped walnuts
2 tbsps clear honey, warmed
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp hazelnuts
120 g (4 oz) dried prunes
280 ml (1/2 pint) red wine, or dry cider
120 g (4 oz) wholemeal flour
120 g (4 oz) polyunsaturated margarine
60 g (2 oz) unrefined soft brown sugar
60 g (2 oz) hazelnuts, freshly ground
3 tbsps finely chopped walnuts
2 tbsps clear honey, warmed
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp hazelnuts
method
1. Put the apricots and prunes into a large mixing bowl. Warm the wine, or cider, pour this over the dried fruits and leave them to stand for 4 hours, or until they are moist and plump.
2. Put the flour into a large bowl, and rub in the margarine with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles soft breadcrumbs.
3. Add the brown sugar, ground hazelnuts and the finely chopped walnuts to the flour mixture, and knead the mixture, until it forms a soft dough.
4. Grease the base of a 21cm/8-inch fluted, loose-bottomed flan tin, and press the nut dough evenly into the tin.
5. Bake the dough in a preset oven, 190°C/375°F/ Gas Mark 5, for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Drain the prunes and apricots, and dry them thoroughly on absorbent kitchen paper.
7. Remove the shortcake from the oven, and arrange the soaked fruits in an attractive pattern over the top.
8. Cover with a piece of foil, and return the whole shortcake to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
9. Remove the shortcake from the oven, and allow it to cool for a lew minutes in the tin, before removing it carefully and placing it on a wire rack to cool completely
10. When the shortcake has cooled, transfer it to a serving plate, and glaze the top of the fruits with the warmed honey
11. Sprinkle the pine nuts and the whole hazelnuts over the fruit, before serving.
2. Put the flour into a large bowl, and rub in the margarine with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles soft breadcrumbs.
3. Add the brown sugar, ground hazelnuts and the finely chopped walnuts to the flour mixture, and knead the mixture, until it forms a soft dough.
4. Grease the base of a 21cm/8-inch fluted, loose-bottomed flan tin, and press the nut dough evenly into the tin.
5. Bake the dough in a preset oven, 190°C/375°F/ Gas Mark 5, for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Drain the prunes and apricots, and dry them thoroughly on absorbent kitchen paper.
7. Remove the shortcake from the oven, and arrange the soaked fruits in an attractive pattern over the top.
8. Cover with a piece of foil, and return the whole shortcake to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
9. Remove the shortcake from the oven, and allow it to cool for a lew minutes in the tin, before removing it carefully and placing it on a wire rack to cool completely
10. When the shortcake has cooled, transfer it to a serving plate, and glaze the top of the fruits with the warmed honey
11. Sprinkle the pine nuts and the whole hazelnuts over the fruit, before serving.
serving amount
serves 6 - 8
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