Big Cakes: Glacé Fruit and Nut Cake

The most wonderful jewel-like glacé fruits - whole pears, clementines and figs - appear in good food halls towards Christmas. I specify which fruits and nuts I used, but please alter this to your preference and use what you can find. This cake is a truly stunning centrepiece for the festive season, and not a plastic robin in sight. Please make sure the bay leaves don’t get eaten!