MY FORTE, PANFORTE ~ CAKE FROM SIENA
Panforte
- Mini Panfortes
Of course I have begun my Christmas baking…haven’t you? Well not officially until this morning, despite the fact I have been in full swing Christmas food mode since around August when I started with Thermomix Australia. Thermomix has begun the Festive Cooking Classes around Australia and they are off to a Very Merry start or so I hear! Perth classes are sold out, 200 people to cook for next weekend…phew!
Anyway, in an effort to raise my flagging Christmas spirit I have cooked up a bunch of mini Panfortes, the cake from Siena which of course is a destination on my dream list. Some lucky friends will end up with these wrapped in mountains of cellophane and ribbon, all Chrismassy and fragrant, very Donna Hay, and very delish! Mr. Music…Cue Silent Night please!
NEED:
1 whole nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 whole vanilla bean
100g dark chocolate in pieces
2 tbsp Vega Real Crio Bru granules
75g unsalted butter
50g sugar
100g raw honey
1/2 tsp almond essence
1 tsp orange essence
55g corn flour/starch
40g premium cocoa
20-30g additional dark chocolate in pieces
200g mixed nuts of choice (almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios)
300-400g chopped glace and dried fruits (glazed cherries red, glazed apricots, pineapple, figs, dried cherries, and craisins)
DO:
Preheat oven to 160ºC. Butter 5-6 small paper cake cases. (Available at kitchen stores.) Or, use a large round spring form cake tin and line the base. You can then cut the cake into wedges and wrap separately, for a David Jones look!
Place nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and vanilla bean into Thermomix bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 8.
Add chocolate, Crio Bru, butter and sugar to Thermomix bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 8. Scrape down sides of bowl and add honey and cook 4 min/60ºC/speed 1.
Add essences, flour and cocoa and combine 10 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat if necessary.
Add fruit and nuts and combine 20 sec/Interval.
Bake 30 minutes or until fragrant and set in the centre. You want a little chewiness to the end result.
Leave to cool in turned off oven.
Dredge with icing sugar twice, leaving a few hours between. Wrap and give away OR slice into thin slices and eat! (No, not all of them, just one!)
