🎄 No-Bake Dried Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake

This recipe is flour-free and gluten-free. The base is creamy, and the structure comes from the dried fruit and nuts.

Component	Ingredient	Quantity	Note
Dried Fruit	Prunes	100g (3.5 oz)	Rinsed with warm water.
	Raisins	100g (3.5 oz)	Rinsed with warm water.
	Dried Apricots	100g (3.5 oz)	Rinsed with warm water.
Nuts	Roasted Peanuts	100g (3.5 oz)	Must be cooled slightly.
	Walnuts	70g (2.5 oz)
Binder/Base	Sweet Cream/Binder	Not listed, estimated 300g	Usually uses a mix of butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese or sweetened condensed milk.
Crumb Base	Cookies/Crackers	Not listed, estimated 200g	Plain, simple cookies or crackers (like Marie or Petit Beurre biscuits, or even plain shortbread).

Rinse: Rinse the prunes, raisins, and dried apricots with warm water and pat them completely dry.
Chop: Finely chop the dried prunes and apricots. Leave the raisins whole.
Rough Chop: Roughly chop the roasted peanuts and walnuts. You want a mix of textures—some fine pieces and some larger chunks.

Crush: Place the cookies/crackers in a large zip-top bag and crush them into medium-sized pieces (not fine powder).
Mix: Combine the crushed cookies, chopped dried fruit, and nuts in a very large mixing bowl.

Mix Cream Base: In a separate bowl, prepare your creamy binder. A common binder for this type of cake is:
- $1/2$ cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter.
- $1/2$ cup Powdered Sugar.
- $1/2$ cup Cream Cheese or Sweetened Condensed Milk.
- Beat these ingredients together until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.

Pour: Pour the creamy binder mixture over the bowl of crushed cookies, fruit, and nuts.
Mix: Use a spatula or your hands to mix everything together until all the dry pieces are completely coated in the cream mixture.
Shape: Lay a large piece of plastic wrap or foil on a clean surface. Scoop the entire mixture onto the center.
Form: Roll and shape the mixture tightly into a log or a round/cylinder shape (like the one shown in the bottom image). Twist the ends of the wrap/foil to seal it.

Freeze/Chill: Place the wrapped cake in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, until it is completely hard and set.
Slice: Once frozen, unwrap the cake and use a sharp knife (heated slightly with warm water for easier cutting) to slice it into thick rounds for serving.