Spicy Chocolate Panforte Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 320°F and line a 9" square pan with parchment.
• Stir sugar, honey, butter, Tootsie Rolls, chocolate and mincemeat in a pan over low heat for 3-5 minutes until sugar dissolves.
• Sift flour, ground almonds, cocoa and spices into a large bowl.
• Add zest, nuts, figs, apricots, salt and mince mixture.
• Stir to combine well - it will be quite stiff.
• Press into the prepared pan (I like placing a piece of parchment or cling wrap on the surface and using a second pan to press it evenly).
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm and dull-looking on top.
• Cool in pan, then invert onto a board and dust with icing sugar.
• Cut into 36 pieces.
• Wrap well in plastic and age at room temperature for 1 day, then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Line springform pan with parchment, using a round for bottom and a strip for side. Butter paper well and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and 4 teaspoons cocoa in a large bowl, then stir in nuts and fruit.
• Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil without stirring until thermometer registers 238 to 240°F, about 2 minutes.
• Immediately pour honey over fruit mixture and quickly stir until combined (mixture will be very thick and sticky). Quickly spoon mixture into springform pan, spreading evenly with back of spoon. Dampen your hands and press mixture firmly and evenly into pan to compact as much as possible. Bake in middle of oven until edges start to rise slightly and become matte, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Cool panforte completely in pan on a rack, then remove side of pan and invert, peeling off paper. If making ahead, wrap panforte (see cooks' note, below). To serve, cut with a serrated knife into small pieces.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Rub the warm hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter, then fit with a circle of parchment paper, and brush the parchment with butter.
• Combine the hazelnuts, brandy, cherries, unsweetened chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Sift 1 cup of the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in another bowl.
• Combine the honey and sugar in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the dried fruit mixture, stirring until combined. Fold in the flour and mix to combine. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Use wet hands or a small metal spatula to press the mixture to form a level layer. Combine the remaining 1/2 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the cocoa. Sift over the cake. Bake until set, about 30 minutes.
• Cool and gently brush off the flour coating before serving.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400&;amp;deg;F. Brush two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with melted butter. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Brush parchment generously with butter. Reserving remaining butter.
• Place hazelnuts on small cookie sheet; place almonds on another small cookie sheet. Toast in oven until nuts are brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes for almonds and 14 minutes for hazelnuts. Cool. Gather hazelnuts in dish towels. Rub in towel to remove husks. Transfer hazelnuts and almonds to large bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Add figs, apricots, citron, orange and lemon peels to nuts in large bowl. Combine flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder and spices in small bowl. Add to nuts.
• Combine sugar, honey and remaining melted butter in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture is smooth and sugar is mostly dissolved, about 5 minutes. Bring to boil. Continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 248&;deg;F. (firm-ball stage). Immediately pour over mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.
• Divide batter between prepared pans, using back of buttered spoon to spread evenly. Bake until tops and edges just begin to brown and tops feel dry, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool slightly on wire rack. Run small sharp knife around edges of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto work surface; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.
• Arrange cakes top sides up on 8-inch cardboard rounds. Spread half of chocolate over each. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.
• Brush tops of cakes with cocoa powder. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap decoratively with colored cellophane. Tie ribbon with gift tag around cellophane to secure. (Panforte can be prepared up to 1 month ahead. Store at cool room temperature.)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking pan. Bake until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Rub warm nuts in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins. Set aside.
• Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with soft butter, fit with circle of parchment, brush parchment with butter, and set aside.
• Combine fruit, nuts, brandy, and chocolates in a medium bowl; set aside. Sift 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl.
• Combine honey and sugar in a saucepan. Stirring, bring sugar to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Combine with dried-fruit mixture, stirring until combined. Fold in flour; mix to combine. Pour into prepared pan.
• With wet hands or a small metal spatula, press the mixture to form a level layer. Combine the remaining 1/2 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and cocoa. Sift over unbaked cake. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Gently brush off flour coating before serving.