Panforte di Siena

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch springform pan
• •Candy thermometer
• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Two baking sheets for toasting nuts
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with edible rice paper, or butter it thoroughly and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This low temperature is essential. Panforte must dry more than bake.

2. 2

   Toast the nuts

   Spread the almonds on one baking sheet and the hazelnuts on another. Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes for the almonds and 12 to 15 minutes for the hazelnuts. The hazelnuts should slip easily from their skins when rubbed in a clean kitchen towel. Rub them while still warm to remove most of the skins. Let all nuts cool, then chop them coarsely. You want visible pieces, not crumbs.

   The nuts must be thoroughly toasted or the panforte will taste flat. Better slightly dark than pale. Your nose will tell you when they are ready.
3. 3

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, combine the chopped almonds, hazelnuts, candied orange peel, and candied citron. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and white pepper. Add the spiced flour to the nuts and fruit and toss thoroughly to coat every piece.

4. 4

   Cook the honey syrup

   In a heavy saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and butter. Set over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Stop stirring. Let the syrup cook undisturbed until it reaches 244 degrees Fahrenheit, the soft-ball stage. This takes 8 to 10 minutes. Watch it carefully toward the end. The temperature rises quickly once it nears the target.

   If you do not own a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of syrup into cold water. At soft-ball stage, it forms a ball that flattens when pressed between your fingers. But buy a thermometer. Candy making requires precision.
5. 5

   Combine and press

   Working quickly, pour the hot syrup over the nut and fruit mixture. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything is thoroughly combined and glistening. The mixture will be very sticky and stiff. Scrape it into the prepared pan. Wet your hands with cold water and press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. The surface should be level and compact. Work fast. The mixture becomes unmanageable as it cools.

6. 6

   Bake until set

   Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes. The panforte will not look different, but it will feel slightly firm when pressed gently in the center. Do not expect browning or rising. It should remain dense and flat. If the edges darken before the center sets, tent loosely with foil.

7. 7

   Cool and dust

   Let the panforte cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This takes at least two hours. Do not rush it. When completely cool, remove the springform ring. Dust the top generously with confectioners' sugar, pressing it gently into the surface. The white coating is traditional and helps prevent sticking when sliced.

8. 8

   Slice and serve

   Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut the panforte into thin wedges. This is a confection, not a dessert course. Small pieces are correct. Serve with espresso or vin santo at the end of a meal, or wrap pieces in parchment and give them as gifts. Panforte improves for at least a month and keeps for several more, tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out the best candied citrus peel you can find, preferably from an Italian grocer. The neon-colored supermarket variety tastes of nothing but sugar. Quality candied peel tastes of the fruit itself.
• •Panforte improves with age. Make it at least two weeks before Christmas, and it will be better than if made the day before. It was designed to be stored.
• •The white pepper is not optional. It provides the gentle heat that defines the 'forte' in panforte. Omit it and you have made something else entirely.
• •Wrap the finished panforte tightly in plastic, then in foil, and store at cool room temperature. It keeps for months this way. Do not refrigerate it.

Advance Preparation

• •Panforte must be made at least one day ahead to allow the texture to set properly. Two weeks ahead is better.
• •Wrapped tightly, it keeps at room temperature for three months or longer. The Sienese made it to last through winter.
• •The nuts can be toasted and chopped up to one week ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 42g)