PANFORTE DI SIENA

A Round Cake, Shallow and Compact

Depending on whether it is sprinkled with icing sugar or cocoa it can be either black or white. It tastes of candied fruit and spices, its consistency is dense and slightly chewy.

300 g almonds

200 g walnut kernels

200 g icing sugar

150 g dried figs

150 g honey

150 g each, candied citron, candied pumpkin, melon peel, and hazelnuts

50 g sweet cocoa

15 g ground cinnamon

15 g in total cloves, white pepper, ground coriander

rice paper to line the mould

Blanch the almonds and walnuts in boiling water, skin, chop and dry them in a warm oven. Toast the hazelnuts in the oven and remove the skins by rubbing them in a cloth. Chop the hazelnuts and put all the nuts in a bowl.

Finely cut the candied fruit and figs and add them to the bowl.

Sprinkle on the cocoa, the spices and half the cinnamon and mix well. Put the honey in a small saucepan, add the sugar and mix well. Heat until the mixture caramelizes. Remove from heat and add to the fruit and nuts.

Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Lightly grease with butter a wide, shallow spring tin. Line with rice paper.

Pour in the mixture and level it well. Cook in a cool oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the baking tin and leave to cool.

Dust with icing sugar and the remaining cinnamon.