Name: Panforte
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped; 200 gram packet, halved mixed glacé cherries; 1 cup toasted almonds; 1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped; 1 tablespoon mixed spice; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 finely grated zest orange; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/3 cup honey; 40 gram unsalted butter; icing sugar, for dusting

Panforte

Panforte is a classic Italian Christmas treat. It's a very dense, rich confection loaded with nuts, dried fruit, and spices. It keeps so well that you'll have delicious leftovers.

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Serves 16

Prep

20M

Cook

20M

Total

40M

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped

200 gram packet, halved mixed glacé cherries

1 cup toasted almonds

1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 finely grated zest orange

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

40 gram unsalted butter

icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1.Preheat oven to 150°C. Lightly spray and line base and sides of a 20cm springform pan with baking paper.

2.In a bowl, combine dates, cherries, almonds, chocolate, spices and zest.

3.In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, honey and butter. Heat on medium, stirring, until starting to melt – do not stir again or sugar will crystallise.

4.Bring to the boil and cook 3-5 minutes, until a little caramel dropped into cold water forms a soft ball when moulded between fingers. Working quickly, pour caramel over nut mixture, mixing well. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula. Bake 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool.

5.If mixture has not set, place in fridge. Dust with icing sugar, cut into wedges and serve with coffee.

Use a doily to create the pattern on the panforte. Place over the cake, dust liberally with icing sugar and carefully lift off. Use any combination of nuts you like.
Note

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