This years Christmas present

Chocolate Panforte

A rich sweet Christmas cake filled with lots of almonds, hazelnuts and dried fruit.

(2 cakes)
150 g hazelnuts (1 heaped cup)
150 g almonds (1 heaped cup)
225 g dried figs (1/2 pound)
225 g dried apricots (1/2 pound)
150 g dried dates (1/3 pound)
90 g semolina flour (3/4 cup)
1 dl cocoa (1/2 cup)
1 orange
1 lemon
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsk ground coriander
1/4 tsk ground black pepper
200 g cane sugar (1 cup)
225 g honey (1 cup)
100 g melted dark chocolate (3 ounces)
Confectioners' sugar

Roast the hazelnuts on a pan or in the oven 10 minutes and place them in a clean cloth. Rub the skin off of with the cloth.

Soak the almonds in boiling water for 3 minutes and nip the skins of.

Cut all the dried fruit into small pieces and mix them with the nuts, the flour, the cocoa, the grated orange and lemon rind and all the spices.

Put the sugar and the honey in a pot and stir it over the heat until the sugar has melted. Cook it without stirring about 5 minutes – until it reaches 120 degree C (248 degree Fahrenheit).

Pour it into the fruit and nuts and mix it well. Ad the melted chocolate and pres the “dough” in to 2 cake pans buttered and lined with baking paper.

Put the pans in the oven at 150 degree C (300 degree Fahrenheit) for 1 hour.

Turn the cakes out of the pans and remove the paper. Dust the cakes on both sides with confectioners' (powdered/icing) sugar.

Cool the cakes and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or paper and store in a cool, dry place.
Well wrapped the cakes will keep at least 1 month.