HoneyOlive OilSugar

Panforte Christmas Recipe

There are some treats that just make Christmas. And, in our books, one of those is certainly Panforte! It is an ancient Italian Sienese recipe, dating back to the year 1000. Originally the recipe was more like a honey-based focaccia and was called ‘Honeyato’, and it was only when fruit was added to the mix (and which fermented due to the heat) that the recipe found its more acidic taste and its name became ‘Panforte’. Over time, and to avoid the fermentation of the fresh fruit, the ingredients were adapted and, as it was only prepared only on the coldest days, it became associated with the winter season. In this recipe we have used our Mild & Light olive oil with sugar, to make a less potent honey mixture.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

35ml Filippo Berio Mild & Light Olive Oil
50g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, Finely Diced
35g Plain Flour
½ tbsp Cocoa
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Mixed Spice
50g Dates, quartered
30g Dried Cranberries
50g Mixed Peel
50g Chopped Hazelnuts
50g Whole Almonds
50g Shelled Pistachios
25g Demerara Sugar
140g Clear Honey
Icing Sugar for Dusting

Method

Preheat your oven to gas mark 2/150°C/130°C fan.
Add your nuts, dried fruit, and chopped dark chocolate to a bowl with your spices and the plain flour and stir.
In a saucepan, add your honey, sugar, and 30 ml of olive oil. Save the remaining 5 ml to grease your dish.
Place your pan on a low heat and gently bring it to the boil while stirring. Once your mixture starts to boil, stop stirring and continue to heat until the mix reaches 118°C.
Remove your pan from the heat.
While the sugar and honey mixture is still hot, pour it over your bowl of ingredients and stir. The heat from this will melt your chocolate.
Stir until the mixture looks even and becomes very sticky.
Grease a springform cake tin using the remaining oil and a pastry brush.
Place the Panforte mixture into the tin and press it down with the back of a spoon. If it's too sticky, you can wet your hands and press down with your fingertips.
Place your Panforte in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes; you will start to see tiny bubbles forming on the top.
Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Dust with icing sugar and serve!

Mild & Light In Colour Olive Oil

From £10.99

This Olive Oil is a healthy substitute for other cooking oils. With its high smoke point it is the ideal choice for frying, stir-frying and baking. The light bouquet allows the natural flavour of food to come through.