Fruit loaf with dried dates and figs.

Ingredients:

Makes two small loaves.

200 g          prunes        
200 g          dried figs                  
100 g           dried dates  
100 g           sultanas  
100 g           dried apricots
300 ml         orange juice
100 g           almonds, unshelled
100 g           hazelnuts
2 tbsp          runny honey
200 g           flour
                     salt
                     black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation:

1. Mix the prunes, figs, dates, sultanas, apricots and orange juice in a bowl, soak for 30 mins.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top and bottom heat) or 160 °C fan. 
3. Coarsely chop the almonds and hazelnuts, mix with the honey, flour, salt and pepper. Add the softened fruit along with the liquid, knead by hand to form a dough.
4. Shape the dough into two loaves and bake in the preheated oven at 180 °C (top and bottom heat) or 160 °C fan for 35-40 mins.
5. Leave the baked fruit loaves to cool on a rack.

Preparation time: 1 hr. 35 mins.
Cooking time: 25 mins.