Christmas Fruitcake

Cut the dried fruits (excluding figs) into small cubes, place in a bowl, pour in red wine and 200 ml (approximately 3/4 cup) of warm water. Cover and let soak for approximately 3 hours. Rinse the figs with hot water, dry thoroughly, remove the stalks and chop finely.

Add almonds to boiling water, blanch in cold water and remove skin from almonds. Pat almonds dry with a tea towel. Cut 30g (approximately 1 ounce) of almonds in half lengthwise and set aside.

Coarsely chop remaining almonds and mix with hazelnuts. Finely dice candied orange and lemon peel.

Mix wheat and rye flour in a bowl, make a well in the center and add yeast and 1 pinch of sugar into the well. Pour lukewarm milk into the well. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. Drain the soaked fruits in a sieve.

Mix dough with honey, salt and orange juice and knead into a smooth, elastic dough. Here, if necessary, add a little water or flour until desired consistency is reached. Add soaked fruit to figs, hazelnuts, almonds, lemon and orange peel mixture and stir carefully into the batter. Sprinkle with flour and let rise covered in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Knead the dough on lightly floured surface and shape 1 loaf.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (approximately 400°F).

Butter a baking sheet, place the fruitcake on the baking sheet and let rise again for about 15 minutes. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour. Repeatedly brush butter on the fruitcake during the baking process. Sprinkle almonds on the loaf during the last 5 minutes of baking.