Panforte

Chock full of nuts, dried fruit, and spices -- panforte is delicious dusted with confectioners’ sugar, cut into small wedges or squares, and served after dinner with coffee. Originally from Sienna, Italy, and, although not specifically a festive treat, it certainly makes an ideal Christmas present. I have suggested baking two smaller cakes so that you can make two gifts at once.

From Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion by Annie Rigg

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Dessert

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, for greasing		1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup blanched almonds		1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup blanched hazelnuts		3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios		1 tablespoon cocoa
2 cups mixed dried fruits, including apricots, candied peel, raisins, figs, and medjool dates, roughly chopped		Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon		1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger		1 cup superfine sugar confectioners’ sugar, to serve
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

directions

Total:

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1
Grease 2 x 8in. (18cm) round cake pans and line the bottom of each with a disk of rice paper.
2
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
3
Spread the almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for about 5–7minutes, until lightly golden. Cool slightly, then roughly chop with the pistachios and place in a large bowl. Add the chopped dried fruit and mix well.
4
In another small bowl, mix together the spices, flour, cocoa, and salt. Add to the dried fruit and nuts and mix until thoroughly combined. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Combine the honey and sugar in a medium-sized pan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat, pour into the fruit and nut mixture, and mix well.
5
Spoon into the prepared pan and spread level. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes, until firm. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. Run a palette knife around the edge of the pan and carefully ease out the panforte. Dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve. Stored in an airtight container, panforte will keep for weeks.

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Panforte

Ingredients

directions