Panforte Recipe (Traditional Italian Christmas Cake): Panforte di Siena is a traditional Italian recipe made with dried fruit, nuts, and spices. This is the classic Italian Christmas cake!
Panforte Recipe (Traditional Italian Christmas Cake)
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almonds (143 grams)
- 1 cup hazelnuts, roasted and skinned (130 grams)
- ¾ cup dried figs (125 grams)
- ¾ cup candied mix peel (orange peel) (117 grams)
- ½ cup dried apricots (105 grams)
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour (90 grams)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (12 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup honey (230 grams)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Warm the oven up to 350 degrees. Use nonstick spray to grease a 9-inch springform pan and cover it with parchment paper. Set the pan aside.
- Put the walnuts and almonds on a baking sheet and spread them out. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they just start to smell good. Remove and set aside.
- Put the figs, candied mixed peel, and apricots in a food processor with a blade attachment.
- Puree the mixture just until the pieces are very small. Get a big bowl and add the fruit to it.
- Mix the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt with the diced fruit until everything is well mixed. Toss in the roasted nuts.
- Put the honey and sugar in a medium-sized pot and mix them together. Keep mixing the mixture over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, which should happen at about 245 degrees. Quickly add the fruit and nuts to the bowl with the sugar mixture. Then, use a greased spoon to mix everything together.
- Put the panforte batter into the springform pan that has been made. Put it in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes. To cool, take them out and put them on a wire rack.
- Then, run a knife along the pan’s inside edge to loosen the cake from the sides. Take off the collar and let the cake cool all the way down.
- Add powdered sugar to the top of the panforte after it has cooled. Serve with little pieces cut out of it.
Nutrition
- Calories:Â 239kcal
- Carbohydrates:Â 40g
- Protein:Â 4g
- Fat:Â 9g
- Saturated Fat:Â 1g
- Polyunsaturated Fat:Â 2g
- Monounsaturated Fat:Â 6g
- Trans Fat:Â 0.001g
- Sodium:Â 47mg
- Potassium:Â 224mg
- Fiber:Â 3g
- Sugar:Â 32g
- Vitamin A:Â 151IU
- Vitamin C:Â 1mg
- Calcium:Â 45mg
- Iron:Â 1mg
RECIPE TIPS
- Use a food processor to finely chop the fruits in your panforte to save time and get a more uniform dice.Â
- Figs and candied citron peel are traditional in panforte. Feel free to omit the dried apricots or use other dried fruit in its place.Â
- Here you will need the whole almonds and whole hazelnuts. Toasting them brings out their flavor and the warm nuts will combine better with the rest of the ingredients.Â
- You can still make this without a sugar thermometer. Just bring the sugar and honey a low boil and cook for about 30 seconds stirring constantly.Â
- Store leftover panforte in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.Â
Recipe FAQ
Q1. HOW TO SERVE PANFORTE?
Panforte is a great treat to snack on for special occasions. However, it is most commonly served at Christmas time. Slice into small wedges and serve alongside other cookies and desserts. Pair it with a cup of coffee or a dessert wine.Â
Q2. FRUIT AND NUT VARIATIONS FOR PANFORTE?Â
The fruits for panforte can vary but most recipes will include dried figs and candied orange or orange zest. As for the nuts, almonds and hazelnuts are traditional, but you could use any variety of nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, or cashews.Â
