Panforte
100g dried apricots
150g dried figs
100g pecan nuts
175g honey
200g dark muscovado sugar
100g dried cranberries
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
100g blanched almonds
50g hazelnuts
50g pistachio nuts
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
50g plain flour plus 1 tablespoon
175g ground almonds
Zest of 1 orange
Set oven to 160oc and line an 8 inch tin with parchment paper.
Place almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes.
Place the apricots, figs and pecan nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
Heat the honey and sugar in a pan and cook until sugar has dissolved.
Beat in the 50g of flour, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the mixed spice and nutmeg.
Remove from heat and add the whole nuts, ground almonds, fig mixture, cranberries and orange zest.
Press into the tin and smooth over the top with wet hands.
Mix the tablespoon of flour with the remaining teaspoon of cinnamon and dust over the top of the cake.
Bake for about 30 minutes – the cake will rise slightly.
Dust with icing sugar. Cool and cut into wedges. Will keep until Christmas Day in an airtight tin.
