Rustic panforte is a dessert that smells of memories, of Christmas with the family, of traditions that are handed down from generation to generation. In my family, the recipe is a treasure kept jealously, a bit like grandmother's secret recipe for the perfect ragout. Every year, when the air becomes crisp and the days get shorter, the scent of spices and dried fruit invades the kitchen, announcing the beginning of the holidays. The beauty of this dessert lies in its simplicity and the richness of its ingredients. Hazelnuts and almonds, lightly toasted, give an irresistible crunchiness and an intense flavour of dried fruit. Walnuts, with their slightly bitter taste, balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. Raisins, soaked in water, become soft and juicy, giving a touch of freshness. Dried figs, cut into small pieces, add a sweet and caramelized note, while candied orange peel, with its citrusy scent, gives vivacity to the mixture. Bitter cocoa and dark chocolate, finely chopped, give a deep and enveloping flavour. The spices, dosed with care, are the soul of the panforte: cinnamon, warm and enveloping, nutmeg, aromatic and slightly spicy, and a pinch of black pepper, which enhances the flavours and gives an unexpected touch. Finally, honey binds all the ingredients, giving the dessert its characteristic consistency and a sweet and aromatic flavour. A drop of coffee and rum add depth and complexity to the taste. To prepare the panforte with the Thermomix®, it is important to follow some precautions. Chop the dried fruit and chocolate at a controlled speed, to avoid obtaining a powder. The Thermomix® is perfect for this, because it allows you to chop the ingredients evenly and without overheating them. When adding the honey, it is important to mix the mixture well, to ensure that all the ingredients are well blended. The dough will be sticky, but that's normal. Greasing your hands with olive oil helps to form the balls more easily. For a vegetarian or vegan version, you can replace the honey with maple syrup or agave syrup. You can also add other types of dried fruit, such as pistachios, pine nuts or dates. As for the spices, you can experiment with ginger, cloves or cardamom. Rustic panforte is perfect to enjoy at the end of a meal, accompanied by a glass of vin santo or passito. It can also be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a chocolate sauce. It keeps for a long time, in an airtight container, at room temperature. Indeed, panforte improves with time, becoming softer and more flavorful. It can be prepared a few days in advance, to have a dessert always ready for the holidays.

Rustic Panforte with Dried Fruit

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Description

Ingredients (15 ingredients)

Preparation (13 steps)

Soaking the raisins

Chop the dark chocolate

Prepare the dried figs

Coarsely chop walnuts and hazelnuts

Chop the almonds

Combine the ingredients

Add spices and chocolate

Add chopped dried fruit

Add flour and cocoa

Add the honey

Form the panpepati

Baking in the oven

Cooling

Finished cooking? Great! 🎉

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