This traditional Italian Christmas bread is great with red wine, port or a coffe after your meal.
Panforte
Author: Mark Hart
Ingredients
- 115g skinned hazelnuts
- 115g skinned whole almonds
- 40g glacé pineapple
- 40g dried apricot
- 40g crystal ginger
- 40g dried figs
- 130g mixed orange and lemon peel
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 100g plain flour
- 125g honey
- 150g sugar
- 30g butter
Method
- Roast the nuts in an oven set at 180C/Gas 4 for 10-15 mins.
- Chop the nuts. In a bowl, mix the nuts with the fruits and peels, spices and flour.
- Place the honey, sugar and butter in a heavy pan and cook until it forms a soft ball.
- Pour the hot mixture into the flour and fruit mix and work quickly to combine.
- Place the mixture into a prepared 8ins cake tin and bake at 170C/Gas 3 for 30-40 mins until the edges become firm (it won’t colour much but will firm up as it cools.
- Panforte can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
