Panforte
Ingredients:
250g blanched almonds
250g hazelnuts
750g dried fruits (currants, raisins, sultanas, figs, mixed peel etc)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
250g plain flour
310g sugar
310g honey
Icing sugar for dusting
Method:
Roast almonds and hazelnuts until golden brown.
Cool and place in a large bowl with dried fruits, spices and flour. Mix well.
Cook sugar and honey until it reaches the ‘soft ball’* stage (240 degrees F)
Add syrup to dry ingredients, and transfer to tray (28 x 38 x 2.5cms) lined with baking paper.
Dip your hands (or spatula) in cold milk and flatten with fingers (or spatula).
Bake at 150 degrees C for 45 minutes, turn out, cool, dust liberally with icing sugar, cut into large rectangles and store. This improves with age.
* soft ball stage – when you drop a little bit of the mixture into cold water you should be able to squeeze it between your fingers, like squeezing a soft ball.
