Keks -With Fruit Mincemeat – 2

Keks is the word for a light fruit cake which is baked in a loaf tin or more often in a long narrow rectangular tin.

I am not sure how or when the word keks came into the Polish language but I am certain it comes from the English word “cakes” –  however the word keks is singular in Polish and means cake, and the plural is  keksy which is cakes.

Keks are make with bakalie, which is usually translated as dried fruits – however it has more varied fruits than the English version of dried grapes (raisins, sultanas, currants) and  mixed peel and can include: apricots, dates, figs, prunes and nuts.

Keks – using fruit mincemeat

At Christmas time I make English fruit mincemeat using the recipe from Delia Smith but without the chopped nuts.

If I have any mincemeat left over after the Christmas period I make a fruit loaf which which is very much a keks.

This is my second version of a keks with mincemeat.

Ingredients

• 150 butter
• 150g dark brown sugar
• Grated zest of an orange
• Grated zest of a lemon
• 3 eggs
• 450g jar of mincemeat (exact amount is not critical)
• 175g  mixture of sultanas, raisins, currants & mixed peel
• 50g of chopped walnuts
• 225g  spelt flour
• 3 level teaspoons of baking powder

Method

• Preheat the oven to GM3 – 160ºC
• Prepare the long loaf tin by greasing it and lining the long sides using one piece of greaseproof paper.
• Lightly cream the butter and sugar.
• Add the grated zest of the lemon and the orange.
• Beat in the eggs, one by one.
• Stir in the mincemeat, the dried fruits and walnuts until it is an even consistency – a wooden spoon is good for this.
• Mix the spelt flour with the baking powder.
• Stir in the flour mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the top.
• Bake for around 60 minutes – check after 50 minutes and cover the top if necessary to prevent burning.
• Leave to cool in the tin before turning it out.

Served here on hand painted Paragon octagonal tea plates.