Chocolate panforte

We’ve put a twist on this traditional Tuscan holiday sweet! Loaded with fruit, nuts and a hint of chocolate, it’s perfect for both gifting to friends, and enjoying at home.

  • Skill Medium
  • Prep time 15 mins
  • Cook time 30 mins
  • Servings 24
Rating

Ingredients:

  • 2 Weet-Bix, finely crushed
  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted mixed nuts, roasted, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
  • 2 Tbsp cacao powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup honey or golden syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice
  • 50 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

  1. Heat oven to 150°C. Lightly spray a round, 24 cm, cake tin with oil. Line the base and sides with a round of baking paper.
  2. Tip Weet-Bix, nuts, dried fruit, cacao powder, flour, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and mix well.
  3. In a saucepan over high heat, stir the honey, sugar, and orange juice until mixture starts to bubble at edges. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 mins. Stir through chocolate, then immediately pour the hot syrup over the fruit and nut mixture.
  4. Use a sturdy spoon to stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Transfer to prepared tin and press surface (with an oiled spoon or square of baking paper) to smooth.
  5. Bake 30 mins. Leave to cool completely in tin, approximately 2 hours. Unmould and peel off baking paper. Dust with icing sugar and cut into slivers with a sharp knife. 

Tips:

  • Wrap in baking paper and store in the fridge in an airtight container, for up to two weeks.
  • For the nuts, we suggest hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, and macadamias. For the fruit, sultanas, dried cranberries, figs and apricots, and mixed peel. Feel free to substitute with your favourites. 

Nutritional information:

  • Per Serve
  • Energy (kJ)
    786
  • Energy (Cal)
    188
  • Protein (g)
    4
  • Fat (g)
    9
  • Saturated Fat (g)
    2
  • Carbohydrate (g)
    23
  • Sugars (g)
    32
  • Dietary Fibre (g)
    2.2
  • Sodium (mg)
    32
  • Potassium (mg)
    245
  • Iron (mg)
    1.1
  • Calcium (mg)
    30