Panforte Di Siena - Traditional Tuscan Honey / Nut Cake |
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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Minutes |
Ready In: 16 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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Well this is famous Italian honey and nut cake from Tuscany. It is a Christmas specialty but these days it is eaten year round and is fantastic with a good cup of coffee! In Italy this Panfote is sold in pretty boxes and served in VERY thin slices. From the book: The Complete Book of Italian Cooking . Ingredients:
4 ounces skinless split whole almonds (or blanched) |
4 ounces hazelnuts |
3 ounces cut mixed peel |
2 ounces glace pineapple or 2 ounces crystallized pineapple |
2 ounces dried apricots (no-soak kind) |
1 large orange, zest of, finely grated |
2 ounces plain flour |
2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder |
2 teaspoons cinnamon |
3 1/2-4 ounces caster sugar |
4 ounces honey |
icing or confectioners' sugar, for decoration |
Directions:
1. Toast the almonds under the grill / broiler until lightly browned; place in a bowl.
2. Toast the hazelnuts until the skins split. Place on a dry tea towel and rub off the skins.
3. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and add to the almonds with the mixed peel.
4. Chop the apricots and pineapple fairly finely, add to the nuts with the orange rind; mix well.
5. Sift the flour with the cocoa and cinnamon, add to the nut mixture and mix evenly.
6. Line a round 8 cake tin or deep loose base flan tin with baking parchment.
7. Put the sugar and honey into a saucepan; heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil gently for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture thickens & begins to turn a deeper shade of brown.
8. Quickly add to the nut mixture and mix evenly. turn into the prepared tin & level the top using the back of a damp metal spoon.
9. Cook in a preheated oven, 150°°C / 300F for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin until cold. Remove from the tin and carefully peel off the paper.
10. Before serving, dredge the cake heavily with the icing sugar. Serve in very thin slices as this is an incredibly rich cake!
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