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Dear List,

For Xmas this year I prepared Panforte ('strong' bread from Siena,
Italy) with my mother instead of the traditional Hungarian poppyseed
bread (I was born there but I live in Australia) and it turned out to be
a big success, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's from ABC
Television's 'Consuming Passions' programme
   http://www.abc.net.au/passions/current/cp08panforte.htm
and I only changed the flour to gluten-free flour. As it is a minor
ingredient the change doesn't effect the result. I think it would work
with a bit more of the sugar-flour mixture as there's not enough
material between the fruits and nuts and it's a bit hard to cut. Wrapped
in laced paper and cellophane (I even made labels with ingredient list)
it is a perfect present. No-one noticed it was gluten-free and everyone
loved it. You'd better make a lot, it disappears fast!

Panforte (Strong Bread)


Although this is a traditional Italian Christmas confection from
Tuscany, it is perfect for any special occasion. Because there is quite
a lot of work involved, I always make two at a time. For a darker,
chocolate-flavoured panforte I add cocoa.

Ingredients:

200g blanched almonds
200g raw hazelnuts, skin on
50g raw macadamia nuts
200g citrus peel
100g dried figs, chopped
100g dried apricots, chopped
175g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chopped cloves
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp powdered ginger
500g sugar
250g honey
125g unsalted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa (optional)


Roast hazelnuts for 15 minutes in oven at 200 deg.C.

Toast almonds in dry pan until browned.

Roughly chop macadamia nuts.

When hazelnuts are slightly cooled, wrap in a tea towel and rub off
skins. (It doesn't matter if some skin remains).

Roughly chop up hazelnuts and almonds. It doesn't matter if some whole
nuts remain.

Mix nuts with peel, figs, apricots, flour, cinnamon, coriander, cloves,
nutmeg, pepper, ginger and cocoa (if using).

Prepare two 28cm springform baking tins. Grease them and line with
non-stick baking paper on base and around inner wall.

In a saucepan, preferably non-stick, put sugar, butter and honey. Heat
while stirring to 118 deg.C (soft-ball stage) using a sugar thermometer.
If not using a thermometer keep cooking till mixture is smooth and
bubbling fiercely and just starting to change colour.

Quickly stir sugar mixture into dry ingredients. Divide mixture in two
and put one lot in each tin. Press down with wet spoon, dipping it into
water every few seconds to stop sticking. The mixture need not be spread
evenly as it will soften and spread during cooking.

Bake for 30 minutes at 160 deg.C.

Allow to cool and remove from tin. Remove baking paper from base.

Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Will keep well in an airtight container (as long as your family and
friends don't discover it!)