Panforte is a chewy, delicious Italian fruitcake made with honey, sugar, nuts, chocolate and fruit. Traditionally, it is dusted with icing sugar and served with strong black coffee. It can also make a decadent dessert. Served in thin wedges, a little goes a long way.
Ingredients
| 30 g | Cocoa powder, sifted |
| ¾ cup | Flour, sifted |
| 2 ½ cups | Mixed nuts, toasted, any of almonds hazelnuts, pecans, chopped roughly |
| ½ cup | Candied peel, lemon |
| ½ cup | Dried figs, chopped roughly |
| 2 tsp | Ground ginger |
| 1 pinch | Ground nutmeg |
| ¼ tsp | Chilli powder |
| 80 g | Dark chocolate, melted (Main) |
| 1 cup | Caster sugar |
| ¾ cup | Runny honey |
Directions
- Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper, grease and dust with cocoa.
- Preheat an oven to 160C.
- Into a large bowl place the cocoa, flour, nuts, lemon, figs, ginger, nutmeg and chilli. Mix well.
- Add the melted chocolate and stir through.
- In a small pot, place the sugar and honey. Slowly bring to the boil, then continue to boil until a little dropped into cold water will roll into a ball.
- Pour into the nut mixture and stir vigorously until combined.
- Spoon into the cake tin and pat down with the palm of your hand. If your hand is damp the process is easy.
- Place in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes until still slightly soft in the centre but not squidgy.
- Remove and cool. Remove the paper, dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges or wrap for storage.