Aimer faire plaisir à ceux qu'on aime

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) Thompson raisins
• 250 ml (1 cup) golden raisins
• 250 ml (1 cup) dried apricots
• 250 ml (1 cup) dates or dried figs
• 250 ml (1 cup) shredded apples
• Zest of a lemon
• Zest of an orange
• 170 ml (2/3 cup) ice cider or rum
• 500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 5 ml (1 tsp.) baking powder
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp.) cinnamon
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp.) nutmeg
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp.) salt
• 250 ml (1 cup) softened butter
• 250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) corn syrup
• 5 ml (1 tsp.) vanilla
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) ground almonds

Preparation

Heat the oven to 250° F (120° C).

In a large bowl, mix the raisins, apricots, dates or figs, apples, lemon and orange zests and ice cider or rum. Cover and let it sit for 1 hour or overnight. Add 60 ml (1/4 cup) flour.

Grease an 2 L (8 in) cake pan with removable sides. Line the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the rest of the flour, the baking powder and the spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar into the butter until it’s fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, while continually stirring. Add the corn syrup and the vanilla. Gradually mix in the ground almonds, then the dried fruit mix and the flour. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Pour into the pan and smooth the surface.

Fill a shallow pan halfway with boiling water on the lower oven rack. Bake the cake on the middle rack for around 3 hours or until a fork inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let it cool. Cover the cake with a cheesecloth moistened with ice cider or rum. Cover it with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Put in an airtight container inside the refrigerator. Moisten the cheesecloth every two weeks if necessary.

Le riopelle de l’Isle Sabayon Sauce

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 250 ml (1 cup) 35% cream
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) le riopelle de l’Isle, rind removed
• 4 egg yolks
• 170 ml (2/3 cup) sugar
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) ice cider or rum
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp.) vanilla

Preparation

Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan. Add the le riopelle de l’Isle and let it melt. Set aside.

In a bowl, whip the egg yolks, sugar and ice cider or rum. Gradually add the milk mixture, while constantly whisking. Pour the mixture in a saucepan and whip constantly while cooking until the sauce thickens and it sticks easily to a spoon. Remove from heat and strain. Add the vanilla. Let it cool and refrigerate.

This cake can be kept in the fridge during its maceration period (6 to 8 weeks), when wrapped in a cotton cheesecloth moistened with ice cider or rum. Afterwards, it can be kept in the freezer for up to one year.