Chocolate Fruit and Nut Dessert Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4-6

100 g/4 oz/1 cup hazelnuts (filberts), toasted and chopped
100 g/4 oz/1 cup blanched almonds, chopped
25 g/1 oz pine nuts
50 g/2 oz chopped mixed (candied) peel, chopped
50 g/2 oz plain (all-purpose) flour

25 g/1 oz cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder
A pinch of ground cloves
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A pinch of white pepper
100 g/4 oz caster (superfine) sugar
100 g/4 oz clear honey
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter

15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar

Method :

Mix together the nuts and mixed peel and stir in the flour, cocoa and spices. Dissolve the sugar, honey and butter or margarine in a heavy-based saucepan, then boil, without stirring, until a drop in cold water will form a soft ball between the fingers. Immediately stir the syrup into the fruit and nut mixture and press it into a greased and lined 20 cm/8 in cake tin (pan). Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 for
35 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out and leave until cold. Dust with the icing sugar and serve cut into thin wedges.