Siena Panforte
This is a wonderful fruity, nutty, heavy Italian cake/sweet ideal for
nibbling with coffee or for taking on a bushwalk. It's also very easy
to make - try experimenting with the nuts and fruits.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 5 teaspoons raw sugar
- 100g blanched almonds
- 75g hazelnuts
- 30g crystallized ginger
- 30g glace cherries
- 80g mixed peel
- 90g wholemeal flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of (freshly) ground cloves
- up to 3 tablespoons of cocoa if you like - decrease the flour if you do
Method
- Heat 1/2 cup of honey and add 5 teaspoons of raw sugar
- Coarsely chop the nuts and gently toast in a frying pan until lightly golden brown (and the aroma is irresistible)
- Finely chop the fruits, and put in a bowl with the nuts flour and spices
- Pour honey and sugar in the bowl and mix well
- Spread mixture into a 20 cm lined, buttered tin
- Bake at 160oC for 40-45 minutes
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and allow to cool
- Serve in thin slices