Mincemeat Easter Cake with Chocolate Truffle Apostles
A simple but effective simnel cake flavoured with Amaretto and using mincemeat for the fruit and nut element. This can easily be made at the last minute, although it will also keep for a couple of weeks. Decorated here with chocolate Amaretto truffles instead of marzipan balls.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, alternating with a spoonful of the flour if necessary.
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Stir until just combined.
Add the mincemeat and stir.
Add the ground almonds and stir, followed by the Amaretto until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a buttered 23cm (9") silicone mould or lined tin. Bake at 170°C for about 45 minutes or until the cake is well risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Roll the marzipan out to a size to cover the top of the cake. Place on top and trim the edges.
Place under a hot grill to bronze the marzipan a little or use a chef's blow torch - be careful as it can burn very easily.
Amaretto Truffles
Place the chocolate into a heat proof bowl.
Bring the double cream to a near boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes.
Stir from the centre outwards until everything is melted, smooth and amalgamated. If the chocolate doesn't quite melt, place the bowl over a pan of hot water and continue to stir until just melted.
Stir in the Amaretto.
Leave the ganache to set in a cool place for a couple of hours or so.
Take walnut size balls of the ganache and roll in the cocoa powder. I did this between the palms of my hands, but it's a messy business and a melon baller or similar gadget might be a wiser choice. I made 30, but some of mine were a little on the generous side.
Notes
For a deeper cake use a 20cm (8") and bake for 10-15 minutes longer.For a more traditional simnel cake, use a smaller tin as above. Spoon half of the batter into the tin, add a layer of marzipan, then place the rest on top. Decorate with 11 marzipan balls.Ganache makes between 30 and 36 truffles.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.