Spiced Gingerbread with Dried Fruit and Orange Zest

Ingredients

• 100 g Whole raw almonds (unroasted)
• 100 g Whole raw hazelnuts (unroasted)
• 50 g Almond powder (fine)
• 120 g Acacia honey (liquid, neutral)
• 80 g Brown muscovado sugar (or whole sugar)
• 2.5 g Fine salt (about ½ teaspoon)
• 5 g Baking powder (about 1 teaspoon)
• 150 g All-purpose flour
• 2 g Ground cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 g Four-spice blend (about ½ teaspoon)
• 1 Vanilla bean (seeds only)
• 5 g Zest of two organic oranges (about 2 teaspoons)
• 80 g Orange marmalade
• 4 Egg whites (at room temperature)
• 120 g Sugar for the meringue (granulated, same weight as the whites)
• 30 g Dried apricots (for decoration)
• 30 g Pitted prunes (for decoration)
• 20 g Dried cranberries (for decoration)
• 30 g Raisins (for decoration)
• 20 g Whole hazelnuts (for decoration) (unroasted)
• 20 g Whole almonds (for decoration) (unroasted)
• 10 g Candied ginger (for decoration)
• 50 g Apricot jam (for glazing)

Instructions

1. Toast the almonds and hazelnuts

   Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spread the almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool to room temperature.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 160°C

2. Remove the skins from the hazelnuts

   Once cooled, rub the hazelnuts between your hands or in a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. Reserve 4‑5 whole hazelnuts for decoration.

   Time: PT5M

3. Crush the nuts

   Place the almonds and hazelnuts in the food processor bowl and pulse a few times until you obtain a texture between powder and coarse pieces.

   Time: PT5M

4. Mix the dry ingredients

   In the mixer bowl, add the crushed mixture, almond powder, cinnamon, four‑spice blend, salt, vanilla seeds and the muscovado sugar. Mix on low speed until homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

5. Incorporate the honey and orange zest

   Pour the acacia honey and orange zest into the mixture, then stir with the spatula until fully incorporated.

   Time: PT2M

6. Add the egg whites and marmalade

   Add the room‑temperature egg whites and orange marmalade, gently mix until you obtain a homogeneous batter.

   Time: PT3M

7. Prepare the French meringue

   In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites. As soon as they become foamy, add half the sugar in a stream, continue whisking, then incorporate the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.

   Time: PT10M

8. Fold the meringue into the batter

   Gently fold the meringue into the batter, lifting the mixture with a spatula so as not to deflate the whites.

   Time: PT5M

9. Sift flour and baking powder, incorporate

   Sift the flour and baking powder over the batter and gently fold them in with the spatula, always using light movements.

   Time: PT3M

10. Prepare the pan

    Grease the metal pan, line it with two strips of parchment paper cut to the dimensions of the pan.

    Time: PT5M

11. Pour the batter into the pan

    Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the spatula.

    Time: PT2M

12. Bake the gingerbread

    Place the pan in the oven. Bake 10 minutes at 180°C, reduce to 160°C and bake another 10 minutes, then lower to 140°C and bake 40 minutes without opening the oven door.

    Time: PT1H

13. Cool and unmold

    Let the cake warm at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a cooling rack.

    Time: PT30M

14. Decorate (optional)

    Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the top, then arrange the dried fruits, the reserved hazelnuts and almonds, and a few pieces of candied ginger for the final touch.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

300

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Whole raw almonds: cashew nuts, pistachios
• Instead of Whole raw hazelnuts: macadamia nuts
• Instead of Almond powder: almond flour
• Instead of Acacia honey: wildflower honey, agave syrup
• Instead of Brown muscovado sugar: white sugar, whole sugar
• Instead of All-purpose flour: whole wheat flour
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon
• Instead of Four-spice blend: homemade spice blend
• Instead of Vanilla bean: vanilla extract
• Instead of Zest of two organic oranges: lemon zest
• Instead of Orange marmalade: orange jam
• Instead of Egg whites: pasteurized egg whites
• Instead of Sugar for the meringue: powdered sugar
• Instead of Dried apricots: dates
• Instead of Pitted prunes: dried figs
• Instead of Dried cranberries: cranberries
• Instead of Raisins: currants
• Instead of Candied ginger: crystallized ginger
• Instead of Apricot jam: apricot jelly

Equipment Needed

• Oven
• Baking sheet
• 20 cm x 8 cm metal pan
• Parchment paper
• Immersion blender or food processor
• Stand mixer (or electric whisk)
• Silicone spatula
• Hand whisk
• Mixing bowl
• Grater or zester
• Chef's knife
• Cooling rack
• Kitchen scale
• Measuring spoons

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Toast the almonds and hazelnuts to develop flavors
• Prepare the French meringue to add lightness
• Three‑stage baking with decreasing temperatures for a moist texture

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use acacia honey so as not to mask the spices
• Zest the oranges just before adding for a fresh aroma
• Choose high‑quality spices; they make all the difference
• Reserve a few whole unroasted nuts for the final decoration
• If you don’t have a metal pan, a silicone pan yields an equally moist result.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 4‑5 days.

Freezer: Wrap in cling film then place in a freezer bag, up to 2 months.

Room temperature: In a dry place, up to 2 days maximum.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Nuts can be toasted the day before and kept in an airtight jar
• The meringue can be prepared 30 minutes before being folded in
• The gingerbread keeps very well; it can be made 2‑3 days ahead
• Apricot jam can be applied just before serving to prevent the cake from becoming soggy