If you use organic ingredients in this recipe, it will be as healthy as a dessert can be. Low in fat, and calories are about 145 per slice.

This is not your yesterday’s fruitcake!

6 cups-finely chopped dried fruit-your choice (apricots, apples, raisins, cherries, cranberries and pears…mix as you like -all or one or two.)
1 – ½ cups chopped walnuts
1 -¾ cups good brandy
½ cup unsalted butter (room temp)
¾ cups -packed- light brown sugar
3 large eggs-lightly beaten
1 – ½ cups All-Purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1-½ tsp sea salt
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground clove
½ cup apricot jam-for topping (warmed)

In a large glass bowl, combine dried fruit, walnuts, and 1&¼ cups of brandy.

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 8 hours or all day-stir occasionally.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time- scraping bowl down between additions.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and spices.

On low speed, beat in flour mixture in two additions – scraping bowl in-between.

Fold fruit mixture into batter.

Pre-heat oven to 300*

If using mini muffin pans drop one rounded Tbsp of batter to each tin (paper liners work well also.) For other size pans fill 2/3 full.

Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean…about 25 to 30 minutes for mini tins, 5 to 10 minutes longer for larger pans.

**When using more than two pans in the oven at once-rotate them about halfway through the baking time.

Brush cakes with ½ cup of brandy when done. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling.

Store in the refrigerator, wrapped or covered well for up to a month.

Brush with warm apricot jam before serving.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large cooking apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup local honey or applesauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sour cream, divided ( I use yogurt-plain )
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
half of a 1-pound loaf of French or Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, slices halved

Melt the butter or margarine in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute’ the apple until just softened, about 3 minutes, and remove from heat. Stir in the raisins, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup sour cream.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and remaining 1/2 cup sour cream. In a buttered 10-inch pie plate or 9-inch square baking dish, layer half the bread; spread apple-sour cream mixture over the bread and then layer with remaining bread.

Pour egg-milk mixture over. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake strata in preheated oven 50 to 60 minutes, or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.