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Panforte Recipe (Traditional Italian Christmas Cake from Siena)
Panforte is a traditional Italian Christmas cake from Siena, a historic city in Tuscany. This rich and aromatic dessert has very ancient origins, with written records dating back as far as the year 1000.Like many medieval Italian pastries, panforte is made with simple but precious ingredients: dried fruit, candied citrus peel, honey, and warm spices. Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg give this cake its unmistakable Christmas aroma.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 150 g all-purpose flour - about 1 ¼ cups
- 300 g whole almonds, skin on - about 10 oz
- 125 g candied citron, finely chopped - about 4.5 oz
- 125 g candied orange, finely chopped - about 4.5 oz
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 5 whole cloves - finely chopped
- 1 sheet edible wafer paper
FOR THE SYRUP
- 150 g powdered sugar - about 1 ¼ cups
- 150 g acacia honey - about ½ cup
- 50 g water - about 3 tablespoons
TO DECORATE
- 50 g powdered sugar - about ½ cup
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the whole, skin-on almonds on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour with the candied orange peel and candied citron, both finely chopped into small cubes.
- Add the spices to the bowl: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. If your cloves are whole, crush them finely using a mortar and pestle or place them between two sheets of parchment paper and crush with a rolling pin.
- Add the toasted almonds and mix very well until the flour evenly coats all the ingredients. Tip: This step is important, make sure the flour is fully absorbed and no dry spots remain.
- In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar and water. Heat gently over low heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the honey and continue stirring until you obtain a smooth, fluid syrup.Important: Keep the heat low and do not let the syrup boil. The mixture should remain liquid and glossy, not caramelized, so it can properly bind the dough.
- Pour the hot syrup over the almond and candied fruit mixture. Stir thoroughly with a sturdy spoon until all the ingredients are well combined and evenly coated.
Bake and Serve
- Lightly butter the bottom of a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan and place a round of edible wafer paper on the base, trimming it to fit if necessary. Grease the sides well with butter to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the panforte mixture to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to a thickness of about 2 to 4 cm (1 to 1 ½ inches). Press and level the surface firmly using the back of a spoon lightly dipped in water.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the panforte cool until just warm.Note: Do not let it cool completely in the pan, or it may be difficult to remove. Carefully release the panforte from the pan. If needed, run a knife gently around the edges to loosen it.
- Transfer the panforte to a serving plate and dust generously with powdered sugar. Let it cool completely before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 544kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 10gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 33mgPotassium: 329mgFiber: 6gSugar: 67gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3mg
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