PANFORTE

Panforte image

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

Provided by Barney Desmazery

Time 1h

Yield cuts into 12 slices

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

flavourless oil, for greasing
edible rice paper (optional)
300g nuts, toasted and chopped (we used pistachios and hazelnuts)
50g candied peel, finely chopped
250g dried fruit, chopped (we used dates and apricots)
50g plain flour
2 tsp spices (we used 1 tsp cinnamon, ¾ tsp ginger and ¼ tsp cardamom)
125g honey
150g golden caster sugar
3 tbsp fortified wine or liqueur (we used Marsala)
icing sugar, to dust

Steps:

Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with edible rice paper or baking parchment. Tip the nuts, candied peel and dried fruit into a bowl. Sift over the flour and spices, and mix together.
Heat the honey, sugar and wine in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bubble for 3-4 mins until the sugar has melted. Pour the hot liquid over the fruit and nuts, then mix. Scrape the mixture into the tin and use the back of a wet metal spoon to flatten it. Bake for 35-40 mins until the surface is still soft but not sticky - it will firm up as it cools.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove using a palette knife to release any sticky edges. If using baking parchment, peel it off and discard it; the edible rice paper can be left on. Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust generously with icing sugar, rubbing the sugar gently into the surface. Cut into wedges to serve. Will keep wrapped in baking parchment in an airtight tin for one month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 330 calories, Fat 14 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 42 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 37 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 6 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium