Toast the Nuts: Place the hazelnuts and almonds in the oven to toast for about 10 minutes to release their natural oils and make them crispy.
Prepare the Fruits and Dry Mix: Chop up the dried figs. In a large bowl, combine the chopped figs, orange peel, lemon peel, candied fruits, sultanas, raisins, flour, dark cocoa powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Toss in the toasted nuts once they are ready.
Make the Syrup: In a saucepan, combine the honey, butter, and sugar. Place the pan on the stove and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar melt and the mixture thickens slightly.
Mix Everything Together: Pour the hot syrup directly into the dry ingredient mixture. Work quickly to combine everything thoroughly, as the mixture will become very sticky very quickly as the cocoa blends in.
Transfer to the Tin: Pour the sticky mixture into a cake tin that has been lined with greaseproof parchment paper and buttered on both the sides and the paper. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and press the mixture firmly down into the tin. Flatten and smooth out the top so it has a uniform, even shape, as the cake will not spread or move during baking.
Bake the cake in [Forced Air + Steam Mode] at 160°C. Use a steam-bake setting with a low level of injected moisture (setting number one) to keep the dense fruitcake nice and moist.
Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. Allow it to cool down before slicing and serving.
