Preparation and cooking time:

Serves:  

You will need:

Lamb Brand Auntie’s mix Flour 450 grams, for dusting

Lamb Brand Blanched Almonds 100 grams, finely chopped

Lamb Brand Castor Sugar 100 grams

Lamb Brand Icing Sugar 100 grams

Lamb Brand Walnuts Halves 75 grams, finely chopped

Lamb Brand Baking powder 1½ tsp

Lamb Brand ground Mixed Spice 1 tsp

Lamb Brand Fine Salt pinch

Cream Cheese (or ricotta) 225 grams

Marzipan 150 grams, coarsely chopped

Skimmed Milk 100ml (for brushing)

Sunflower Oil 100ml

Egg 1

All you have to do:

Preheat the oven to 180°/Gas 4. Grease a baking sheet or line with baking powder. Reserve 1 tablespoon of chopped almonds for decoration and place the reminder in a bowl with the walnuts, marzipan and mixed spice. Stir to mix, breaking up any clumps of marzipan.

To make the dough:

Place the soft cheese in a bowl, add the egg and mix with a fork or a hand whisk until smooth. Stir in the milk, oil and mix well, sift the flour, salt and baking powder in a separated bowl. Stir in the castor sugar, then add the soft cheese mixture. Mix well with your hands until the mixture forms a soft dough.

Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface until smooth,  then roll out to a 28×50 cm rectangle. Sprinkle the marzipan and nut mixture over the top leaving a 1cm border around the edge.

Brush the edge with a little milk then roll up starting from one to the long sides, lift onto the baking sheet and shape into a ring, overlapping the ends, snip along the top in zigzag lines with scissors then brush all over with milk.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (until golden brown and cooked through). Allow to cool completely.

To decorate:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl then gradually add 2-3 tsp cold water to make a smooth icing that just falls from the spoon, drizzle the icing over the ring and sprinkle with the reserved almonds.

Leave to set for 15 minutes before cutting.