Tyrolean Christmas Fruitcake

Name: Tyrolean Christmas Fruitcake (Zelten)
Cuisine: Austria
Ingredients: ¾ cup raisins; ¼ cup pine nuts; 3 tablespoons chopped pitted dates; ⅓ cup chopped dried figs; ¾ cup dried currants; 3 tablespoons honey; Dried or candied fruit, for decoration (optional); Dried or candied fruit, for decoration (optional); ¼ cup brewed espresso or other strong-brewed coffee; ¼ cup brewed espresso or other strong-brewed coffee; 2 tablespoons dark rum; ¼ cup brandy; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice; 1 tablespoon chopped candied lemon peel or citron; 1 tablespoon chopped candied orange peel; ½ cup ground almonds; 1 tablespoon chopped candied lemon peel or citron; 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (about ⅓ package); ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon lukewarm milk; Whole almonds or pine nuts, for decoration; Whole almonds or pine nuts, for decoration; ¼ teaspoon ground star anise (use a mortar or spice mill); ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ scant cup rye or all-purpose flour; ½ scant cup rye or all-purpose flour

Zelten

Preparation info

Makes one 8 inch round cake; serves
10 to 12

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Classic Home Desserts

By Richard Sax

Published 1994

About

Andrea Hellrigl, the late chef-owner of Palio restaurant in New York City, was from Merano in Italy’s Alto Adige region, near the Brenner Pass on the border with southern Austria. When I asked him what typifies Christmas baking in his region, he answered with one word: “Zelten.”

Somewhere between cookie and confection, this cake is made with so little batter that as you make it, you won’t believe it will hold all the fruits and nuts together. It does. Note th

Ingredients

Europe
Austria
Tyrol
Dessert
Cake
Vegetarian
Christmas

Ingredients

Method