An Epiphany cake

I was inspired by a reference to an Epiphany cake by Nigel Slater.  He advocates using a machine but making it without is much more fun.  In fact I started it yesterday afternoon but finished it today lunchtime!  I noticed how many this serves but I advise you to make it anyway and freeze half if there is any left!

It’s an enriched yeasted dough with icing or glacé fruits. I didn’t have any, so used dried fruits (I was thinking of les mendiants)  and honey and served it with thick cream.

My own addition of raisins and spices was spurred by the thought of Hot Cross Buns!

If you compare with Nigel’s recipe you can see I have adapted it a little.  Here’s my version.

RECIPE:

200ml water
160ml milk  I used 200ml but this was a mistake making the dough too wet and needing more flour! See below.
one Clementine, tangerine or small orange    I didn’t have any so used orange flower water and orange juice
lemon 1  the zest and juice of one lemon
125g butter
125g sugar
2 eggs
600g plain flour – actually probably about 800g if you add extra milk (see above)

nutmeg, mace, cinnamon  ( my addition)
2 teaspoons dried yeast  I used 2cm cube of fresh yeast.

Pinch of sea salt

A handful of currants or raisins (my addition)
beaten egg mixed with a little milk ….. I forgot
whole crystallised fruits  or dried fruits cut into small pieces as necessary and runny honey.

I used cranberries, raspberries, crystallised ginger, pineapple, papaya, mango, cherries, pear, apricots, cut mixed peel, I nearly added a few nuts but then felt it was already rather crowded on top!

For the Chantilly cream:
mascarpone 250g
whipped cream 200ml

METHOD

§  Put the water and milk into a saucepan with the grated zest of citrus fruits then bring almost to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse until warm.  

§  NB I added orange juice to the flour and yeast mix to avoid curdling the milk. Again this was too much liquid!

§  Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar until soft.  Beat in the eggs.

§  In a separate large bowl, mix yeast and salt with the flour.  Then add the warm milk mixture, beating the liquid into the flour with a wooden spoon.

§  At this stage I let the yeast mixture rise in a warm place. Put a damp tea towel over the top of the bowl. It will take time. 

§  Then when it is nice and warm and showing evidence of rising beat it into the creamed butter, sugar and egg.  Give it a good knead and return to the large bowl. Again leave in a warm place for a few hours to rise to about twice its original size. 

§  Knock it back and at this point I placed it in the fridge overnight in the covered bowl.

§  The next morning after I’d warmed it up near the woodburner it had a beautiful elasticity once it had risen again. 

§  Onto a floured board I kneaded it again.

§  Cut it into two halves and rolled each half into a sausage shape.

§  Then each one was formed it into a ring on its own flat, oiled baking sheet.

§  I could have brushed the dough with a little beaten egg and milk but I was inventing so drooled runny honey around the top of each ring. Then I stabbed the fruit into the surface of the dough.

§  Back to a warm place to rise for about 15 minutes. 

§  Then bake in a HOT oven for 25 minutes or until a knife in the dough comes out clean.

§  Cut into slices and serve cream. It was DELICIOUS.   Won't be any left for the freezer!

Unfortunately, some of the dried fruits got a bit blackened but didn't taste unpleasant. All very yummy for a return to work day when temperatures are falling and we need comfort food. 

For lunch I followed a Prue Leith recipe for fish curry, did my own dry fried turmeric potatoes and invented a carrot ribbon, mint and creme fraiche accompaniment.