Christmas Cake

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Recipe's preparation

Fruit Mix

Put dates in thermomix and chop roughly (10s speed 5)

Chop almonds roughly in thermomix if desired (10s speed 5)

In a very large bowl, add all fruits and nuts. Sprinkle flour over the fruit and stir to combine.
Stir in brandy and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave for at least 24 hours.

Cake Batter

Using the butterfly whisk, cream the butter at speed 4. Check every 30s and scrape down the edges. Keep repeating until the butter is the colour of cream.

Add brown sugar and continue creaming at speed 4 until it is combined well. Keep the thermomix stirring at speed 4 and crack in eggs one at a time. Set aside.

Into a separate bowl, sift the flour, bicarbonate, and spices.

Into another bowl or jug, combine the apple juice and golden syrup.

Add both the flour mix and the syrup mix to the butter, alternating. Stir the mixture at speed 2 while this occurs.

Carefully combine the batter into the fruit mix.

Grease a 20cm cake tin (or I use a selection of smaller tins filled to about 3/4). Line the tin with baking paper.

Bake in the oven at 140 degrees. 3 hours for a 20cm cake; 1½ hours for a 10 cm cake.