chocolate chestnut fridge cake
rating:this recipe by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall appeared in last Saturday's Guardian magazine. I made it yesterday (adding my own variations - shown in the recipe by brackets), and I have to say that it is utterly delicious - and also ridiculously easy.
75g prunes, roughly chopped
75g raisins
3 tbsp brandy
150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
100g unsalted butter, cubed
150g gingernut biscuits, roughly crushed
150g cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
[NB I added a tablespoonful of candied peel and about a
dozen pecans, roughly chopped, as well as about 10 glacé cherries, roughly chopped]
combine the dried fruit and brandy, and soak for at least two hours (or up to six).
line a 20cm square tin, or a 20cm-diameter round tin, with clingfilm.
put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and leave to melt. Combine with the fruit and brandy, the biscuits and chestnuts.
pour into the tin, pressing down into an even layer. Leave until cool, then refrigerate until solid. Use the clingfilm to lift it out of the tin, and cut into squares or wedges.
serve with tea or coffee.
