• 2 cups plain flour
•  a pinch of salt
• 6 oz. butter
• water 1 tsp.
• baking powder

Sift the flour with the salt. Rub in the butter. Stir in baking powder and enough water to make a firm dough. Roll out very thinly and line a greased.9-inch square cake tin, reserving enough pastry to cover the top.

FRUIT MIXTURE

.1 Ib. currants

1 Ib. raisins

I Ib. sultanas

4 oz. chopped peel

4 oz. butter

2oz. sugar

3 eggs

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. baking soda a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 dsp. cinnamon

1 dsp. mixed spice

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

2 oz. chopped almonds

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. one at a time. Sieve flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into the mixture. Add spices, floured fruit, and chopped almonds. Mix well. Fill the pastry-lined tin with the mixture, place pastry on top. Moisten edges and press together. Crimp edges*. Bake slowly for 3 hours at 300°.

Note: Rich fruit cakes should always be cooked in the centre of the oven.