Enjoy this honeyed Tuscan dessert with candied peel at the end of a meal with sweet wine or coffee, or wrap up and give as a homemade Christmas gift.
INGREDIENTS:
- 16 ounces (3 cups) blanched whole almonds
- 9 ounces (1 3/4 cups) whole hazelnuts, skinned or unskinned
- 12 ounces (2 cups) diced candied orange peel
- 6 ounces (1 cup) dried apricots, diced
- 5 ounces (1 cup) dried figs, diced
- 5 ounces (1 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 16 ounces ounces (2 1/4 cups) sugar
- 16 ounces honey (1 1/3)
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter
- powdered sugar for dusting
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and position a rack in the center of your oven.
Prepare a single 9″ layer cake pan for baking like so.
Chop the nuts and dried fruits and combine them in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa and spices.
Combine the two mixtures thoroughly.
Combine the honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan.
Cook the mixture to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour this mixture over the fruit and flour mixture.
Stir everything together and scrape into the cake pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the panforte is bubbling.
Cool the pan completely on a wire rack.
De-pan the panforte and wrap it in parchment paper, then plastic wrap.
Store it in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks. When you’re ready to serve it, dust it lightly with powdered sugar and cut it into thin slices.
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