Christmas panforte recipe

Christmas is a time for sweet treats in our London studio - with the days drawing in, the weather getting frostier, and our work days getting busier, we look forward to a mid-afternoon sweet treat to keep us going til home time.

Our favourite is Ruth’s aunt’s Christmas panforte: fruit, nuts and chocolate topped off with a layer of festive gold leaf. Here’s the recipe…

Ingredients:

100g toasted whole almonds

100g toasted whole hazelnuts

90g coarsely chopped dried figs

55g raisins

50g mixed peel

100g plain flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

pinch of salt

75g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

125ml honey

55g golden caster sugar

icing sugar or edible gold leaf for the top

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C. Lightly grease a 20cm springform pan and line the base with baking paper.

2. Place almonds and hazelnuts in a large bowl. Add the figs, raisins and mixed peel and stir until well mixed. Sift over the flour, cocoa, spices and salt to combine.

3. Place chocolate, honey and sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and chocolate melts. Gently bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 116°C.

4. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the fruit mixture and, working quickly, stir until well combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until just firm. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

5. To serve, either press gold leaf on top or dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges.

The panforte will keep in a airtight container for a couple of weeks.