Panforte di Siena

Panforte is an Italian fruit and nut dessert not unlike the traditional Christmas fruit cake. The origins of this dessert go back to the Tuscany region of Italy (so I understand from Wiki!) It is quite a dense cake made almost entirely with fruit and nuts. A little flour binds the whole dish. The spices lend a deliciously heady aroma.

Ingredients –

250g Figs or Pitted Dates
50g Honey
100g Soft Brown Sugar
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Clove
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
½ tsp Ground Cardamom
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
250g Candied Fruit
50g blanched Almonds
50g toasted Hazelnuts
4 tbsp sifted Plain flour
50ml Vin Santo dessert Wine or Rum
Icing Sugar for dusting

Method –

Preheat oven to 150oC. Line a 25cm round or 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.

Mince the figs / dates and put them in a pan with just enough water to cover the fruit. Add honey, sugar and spices.

Cook gently for about 10 mins and then transfer to a bowl. At this stage the fruit mix should be soft and sticky but not wet.

Add the candied fruit and the nuts. Mix well. Then add the flour and wine and mix to a sticky mass. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 30-40 mins.

Take out from the oven and let cool in the tin. When cooled take out of the tin. Sprinkle generously with icing sugar and serve with a glass of your favourite bubbly!!

Transfer to an airtight container. It does have a long shelf life provided there is any leftover!
bon appetite!