Title: Apple, Prune and Armagnac Cake with Streusel Topping
Categories: Cake Fruit
Yield: 1 Cake

FOR THE PRUNES
350	g	Stoned prunes (ready to use)
75	g	Castor sugar
150	ml	Water
75	ml	Armagnac (or port)
STREUSEL TOPPING
75	g	SR flour
25	g	Butter (room temp)
75	g	Demerara sugar
50	g	Almonds, nibbed untoasted
THE CAKE MIXTURE
75	g	SR flour
1/2	ts	Baking powder
50	g	Butter, softened
25	g	Ground almonds
50	g	Caster sugar
1	lg	Egg
2	tb	Milk
50	g	Apples - diced bramleys
		Icing sugar to finish

The day before you want to make the cake, start preparing the prunes. Make a syrup from the water and sugar, and add the prunes. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes (less if using Mme Bergue's). Drain them and place in a bowl and leave till cool. Add the Armagnac, stir and leave overnight.

When you're ready to make the cake, prepare the tin. This should be an 8" loose base tin, greased and lined with bakewell paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F, 180 C gas 4. Now you can begin the streusel topping. Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture becomes crumb like. Mix in the sugar and then sprinkle in a dessertspoonful of cold water. Fork the mixture until it is coarse and lumpy. Leave to one side with the almonds, which should not be toasted.

The cake mixture is very simple. Sift the flour, together with the extra baking powder into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except the apple. Then, using an electric whisk, or a wooden spoon and elbow grease, beat the mixture together until smooth. After that, fold in the apple, then spoon into the prepared tin.

Arrange the prunes on top of the cake mixture, and fork the streusel topping over them. Finally sprinkle the almonds evenly over the surface. Place the cake on the centre shelf of the oven, bake it for 1 hour, then remove from the oven. Leave it in the tin for 30 minutes before turning it out to cool on a wire rack.

Just before serving, sift the icing sugar over the surface.

Recipe Delia Smith Mmed IMH c/o Georges' Home BBS 2:323/4.4

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