With all the buttery denseness of a pound cake, this one has the added glamour of white chocolate.
ingredients
White Chocolate Almond Pound C
Topping
Dried Fruit Compote
directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC).
Grease and parchment paper line bottom of 9 x 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan. In bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, making three additions of flour mixture and 2 of milk. Fold in slivered almonds and chocolate chips.
Scrape into prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven until golden and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack. Run knife around sides of pan; remove from pan.
Drizzle white chocolate down centre of loaf; sprinkle with toasted almonds.
In saucepan, combine raisins, cranberries, apricots, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon and orange strips, sugar and 3 cups (750 mL) water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until fruit is very tender.
With slotted spoon, transfer fruit to serving bowl. Discard cinnamon, cardamom and lemon and orange strips. Boil liquid for about 6 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup