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Panforte recipe

Panforte recipe

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Created by The Tesco Real Food team

Food writer Angela Romeo brings her dessert expertise to this seasonal sweet treat, one of her go-to Christmas bakes. She says, ‘This Tuscan favourite, packed with nuts and fragrant with spices and sherry, is suitably indulgent for the festive season. Serve visitors a slice with a short coffee or glass of sherry.’ See method

Ingredients

  • 100g whole almonds (blanched or skin-on)
  • 50g blanched whole hazelnuts
  • 75g walnut pieces
  • 50g Italian mixed peel
  • 50g soft dried apricots, chopped
  • 50g soft dried figs, chopped
  • 50g soft pitted dates, chopped
  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 150g granulated sugar
  • 150g clear honey
  • 25ml sherry (use a vegetarian one if required)
  • 1 tsp icing sugar, for dusting

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1245kj
    297kcal     15%

  • Fat

    12g 17%

  • Saturates

    1g 6%

  • Sugars

    32g 35%

  • Salt

    0.1g 2%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 39.4g Protein 5.4g Fibre 3.7g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 3, 170°C, fan 150°C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm round springform cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and toast the nuts in a single layer for 1-2 mins until fragrant and golden, stirring frequently to avoid charring. Set aside to cool completely.
  3. Put the nuts in a heatproof mixing bowl with the mixed peel, dried fruit, flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to coat everything evenly and set aside.
  4. Put the sugar, honey and sherry in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Shake the pan so the sugar levels out in the pan, stirring occasionally once the sugar starts to dissolve. Once dissolved, increase the heat slightly and simmer, without stirring, for 1-2 mins until it reaches 120°C-125°C (if you don’t have a sugar thermometer add a drop of the syrup to a bowl of cold water; it should form a soft ball.
  5. Working quickly, pour the hot syrup over the dry ingredients. Stir well to coat everything – it will be very thick and sticky. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and press it down firmly and evenly with the back of a damp metal spoon. Clean the spoon and dampen again, if needed.
  6. Bake for 30-35 mins until just set; it shouldn’t bubble or brown too much but if it does, cover with foil. Cool completely in the tin. To serve, remove from the tin, peel off the baking paper and dust with icing sugar, then cut into thin slices.

Tip: You can bake this ahead of Christmas, store wrapped tightly in baking paper, foil and clingfilm at room temperature. It will keep for up to 3 weeks.

See more Christmas baking recipes

drinkware RFO

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