Panforte

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 grams) blanched almonds toasted
• 1 cup (135 grams) hazelnuts nuts toasted and skins discarded
• 3/4 cup (125 grams) chopped dried figs or apricots
• 3/4 cup (120 grams) chopped mixed peel
• 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose (plain) flour
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (180mls / 240g) honey
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar (castor)
• 2/3 cup (115 grams) chopped semisweet (dark) chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150ºC. Grease and line a 9in/23cm springform pan.
2. Combine nuts, figs and candied orange slices in a large bowl.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, spices, and salt and combine with nut mixture.
4. Combine the honey and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve the sugar then simmer over low heat for 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from heat, allow to cool for a few minutes then stir through the chocolate until melted.
6. Pour into the bowl with the flour mixture, nuts, and fruit and mix until well combined.
7. You will find that once you add the chocolate, and remaining ingredients the mixture becomes quite firm and you will need some muscle to mix it. That all as it should be.
8. Press the mixture into a prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. Cool in pan before turning out and slicing thinly to serve.