Mamma Maculan's Winter Fruitcake |
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Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 80 Minutes Servings: 1 |
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This is a great make ahead cake, and tastes better the next day. ***NOTE*** Torcolato is a sweet dessert wine, and can probably be substituted by any wine fitting that description with a high acidity, as Torcolato is difficult to find and rather expensive. Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing |
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, plus extra |
10 ounces pears, peeled and sliced (2 medium) |
10 ounces apples, peeled and sliced (2 medium) |
1 1/2 cups sugar |
8 ounces golden raisins |
2 cups sweet dessert wine (torcolato) |
4 cups whole milk |
1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
3 eggs |
1 lemon, zest of, only |
1/4 teaspoon salt |
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar |
16 seedless grapes |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9 cake pan and coat the bottom and sides with a thin layer of bread crumbs. Place the pears, apples, butter, and sugar in a 1-quart pot; cook over medium heat, covered, until the fruit breaks down into a puree, about 20 minutes, stirring often and removing the lid if the mixture becomes too liquid; cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in the Torcolato. Heat the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla extract, and cinnamon; put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and pour the hot milk over them; set aside for 30 minutes to let the bread crumbs absorb the milk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the fruit puree, lemon zest and salt using a wire whisk. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the bread crumbs and raisins, including the Torcolato used to soak the raisins. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean; cool on a rack and unmold. Dust the cake with the sifted confectioner's sugar and garnish with the grapes. Serve with glasses of the same dessert wine used in the cake.
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