Hazelnut Panforte Recipes

HAZELNUT PANFORTE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 300°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom and sides with parchment paper; butter paper.
• Mix first 16 ingredients in large bowl, tossing to separate fruit pieces. Bring honey, sugar, and butter to boil in small saucepan, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place candy thermometer in mixture, tilting to submerge bulb, and cook until thermometer registers 242°F to 248°F, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Pour syrup over nut mixture; stir to blend. Immediately transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until bubbling slightly at edges and top appears dry, about 55 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover; let stand overnight at room temperature.
• Release pan sides. Remove paper from sides and bottom of panforte. Place panforte on cardboard round. (Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT PANFORTE

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.)