PANFORTE

It was more than 15 years ago that I first noticed panforte in a cookbook but only yesterday that I put together my notes in order to make a loaf. Although Italians use a variety of fruits in their 'strong bread', the bittersweet taste of candied orange dominates.

 

Adoration of the Magi - Velasquez, 1619

Panforte is a very old recipe, dating at least from the Middle Ages. Exactly in 1205, a load of panes melati et pepati (breads with honey and pepper) was noted down as 'tithe' in the records of Tuscany and, not surprisingly, the recipient was a local monastery. According to folk tales, it was a nun from Siena who first made this kind of 'bread', in an effort to support her fellow citizens during a time of hardship. For the next six hundred years, panforte remained a luxury because only the well-to-do could afford the ingredients. In 1879, however, the amount of spices was reduced in order to please Margaret of Savoy (the first queen of unified Italy).

For me, panforte will always be a sweet treat for Christmas because it contains typically festive ingredients. The recipe is fairly simple: nuts, dried & candied fruit, sugar, honey, flour, cocoa and spices are mixed thoroughly and baked until firm. The resulting dessert is more like a candy bar although its texture depends on the recipe. Some versions use more honey and sugar, others more flour. Classic Italian recipes go for chocolate, bitter almonds & pine-nuts. Glazed melon and citron are favored while a reasonable amount of pepper seems to be a must. Other versions are made with cocoa -and butter. The panforte I used for a model even contains pineapple! So it's basically a matter of taste.

 

 

 

 

PANFORTE

This version is slightly adapted from Simply Delicious Slices that was published in 2002 by Murdoch Books. It uses 5.7% flour (which is the lowest percentage I've seen), 22.8% honey & sugar, and 71.4% nuts & fruits (which is the highest). Naturally, the choice of ingredients is yours. Being a traditionalist who also lives near the Mediterranean, I deliberately left out pineapple and increased the amount of orange.

 

I n g r e d i e n t s

40g all-purpose flour

15g Dutch-processed cocoa

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp cardamom
175g almonds

150g candied orange peel

50g candied ginger, sliced

125g dried figs, sliced

90g honey

70g sugar

M e t h o d

1. Set the oven to 160C. Line an oblong baking tin with greased parchment paper. 2. Sift the flour, cocoa and spices in a bowl. Mix the nuts and fruits in another. Combine, stirring well. 3. Warm the honey and sugar in a pan and cook until the mixture reaches boiling point. Add to the rest of the ingredients, mashing well. 4. Transfer to the baking tin, level the surface and bake for 35-40 minutes or until slightly firm. 5. Leave to cool, then refrigerate overnight. The next day unmold, slice, and serve the panforte -optionally dusted with confectioner's sugar.

N o t e

It's okay to use the almonds with the skins.