Panforte is a traditional Italian Christmas delicacy with a long history, originating in the city of Siena in the 13th century. There are no words to describe just how delicious it is! Its texture is most similar to nougat – slightly chewy and sticky, intensely flavoured and packed with nuts and fruit, with the addition of warming spices. It’s like a cross between Italian biscotti and English Christmas fruit cake. On top of that, it smells and tastes like gingerbread :). One of its greatest advantages is how simple it is to make and how well it keeps. You can prepare it well in advance for Christmas or package it as homemade gifts. This is not the original recipe for Panforte di Siena (especially after all the changes I’ve made to the fruit and nut mixture), but it is one of the best panforte recipes I’ve tested. The traditional recipe should contain 17 ingredients and does not include cocoa. Over the years, however, many variations have appeared, including a chocolate version, which I can’t wait to try!
Ingredients for panforte:
- 125 g hazelnuts, with skins
- 125 g almonds, with skins
- 100 g blanched almonds
- 200 g mixed candied citrus peel
- 75 g dried figs, roughly chopped
- 50 g plain flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- a pinch of white pepper
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g honey
- 30 g butter
Additionally:
- edible rice paper (optional)
- icing sugar, for dusting
Prepare a 23 cm springform tin. Line the base and sides with rice paper. If you don’t have rice paper, line the tin with baking parchment and lightly grease it with oil.
In a large bowl combine the hazelnuts, both kinds of almonds, candied peel and chopped figs. Add the sifted flour, cocoa and spices and mix well so that the dried ingredients coat the fruit and nuts evenly.
In a small saucepan combine the sugar, honey and butter. Heat over very low heat until all the ingredients, especially the sugar, have completely dissolved. Once the mixture begins to foam, continue cooking for 2–3 minutes over the lowest heat. If using a sugar thermometer, the syrup should reach approximately 120°C. A higher temperature will make the panforte too hard. Immediately pour the hot syrup over the fruit and nut mixture and stir vigorously. The mixture will begin to set quickly, so make sure no dry ingredients remain. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and press it firmly into an even layer, using damp hands if necessary.
Bake at 165°C for about 30–40 minutes (it took 40 minutes in my oven), until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 3–4 hours, then remove from the tin. The panforte will initially feel soft on top but will firm up as it cools.
Dust generously with icing sugar on both the top and bottom (if rice paper was not used). Serve cut into thin slices with a good wine or an espresso. In Italy, it is also often served with cheese, such as Parmesan.
Panforte keeps for up to 3 months in an airtight tin at room temperature.
Feel free to experiment with the recipe. You can substitute some of the nuts with macadamias or pistachios while keeping the same total weight. Along with the candied orange peel, I also added candied cherries and other dried fruits I had on hand. The cocoa can also be omitted.
Enjoy!
Recipe source: Nigella Lawson.
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