To make the fruit cake, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour, to resemble breadcrumbs. Add the castor sugar, mixed fruit and toasted almonds.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir well. Pour the batter into a small, greased loaf tin and place in a preheated oven of 160ºC for 40 ? 50 minutes, or until cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Dust liberally with icing sugar and slice.

Make the cinnamon popcorn, by heating the canola oil and popcorn pips in a large, heavy-based pot. Cover securely with a lid. As soon as they start to pop, shake the pot from side to side every 30 seconds, until the popping has ceased.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and season the hot popcorn.

Add the chocolate balls and gold dust in a bowl and swirl around to cover the chocolate in gold. Set aside.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave by choosing the defrost function, checking every 30 seconds for 3 minutes. Add the pretzels to the bowl of melted chocolate and cover. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set.

Create the wreath by placing the branches on the platter in a circular shape, so that it resembles a wreath.

Arrange all the ingredients around the branches, including slices of the Christmas cake, piled in the centre of the platter.