Italian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Panforte di Siena

A dense Sienese spice cake made with almonds, hazelnuts and candied fruit, bound with honey.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 200 g almonds
• 150 g hazelnuts
• 200 g candied fruit
• 100 g candied orange peel
• 150 g honey
• 150 g sugar
• 100 g flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 sheets edible rice paper
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Roast the almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 170°C for 8 min, let cool briefly and roughly chop; dice the candied fruit and candied orange peel small.
2. Line a 22 cm springform pan with parchment paper, lay the rice paper flat on the bottom, and seal the rim with butter or paper.
3. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and ground cloves and combine thoroughly with the nuts and candied fruit in a large bowl.
4. Warm the honey and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 4–5 min until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture forms light threads — do not let it brown.
5. Pour the hot syrup immediately over the nut mixture, work it through quickly with a wooden spoon, and press the very stiff mixture evenly into the pan with a dampened spoon back.
6. Bake at 150°C top/bottom heat for 35–40 min, let cool completely in the pan, dust thickly with powdered sugar, and cut into narrow wedges.