Tuscany Recipes
PANFORTE DI SIENA

Photo Comune di Siena

PANFORTE DI SIENA

Siena Fruit Cake

How to make the PANFORTE DI SIENA:

Mix 1 tsp. of cinnamon with 1 oz. of flour (a mixture known as polverino). Set aside. Pound the peppercorns, cloves, and coriander seeds, and mix the resulting powder with the remaining cinnamon and nutmeg (this mixture is locally known as droghe).

Dice the candied fruit and mince the walnuts. Mix both with the whole almonds. Sift in 5 oz. flour with the cinammon and nutmeg and mix together. Set aside. Cook the sugar with 2 tbs. water in an unlined copper pan until browned and caramelized. Knead the previously set aside mixture into the cooked sugar until you get a smooth mixture.

Butter and dust with flour a 10-in. round cake mold. Cover the bottom with thin flat wafers and pour in the mixture, (it will probably be about 3/4-in. thick) sprinkling generously with polverino. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 min. Let set and cool in its mold. Remove from mold and panforte is ready to serve. It may be kept for 2-3 weeks.

Note:
2 tbs. of water may be substituted with the juice of 1/2 lemon; its acidity will prevent the sugar from lumping.

Recipe courtesy of The Italian Trade Commission.

Italian recipes summary

BREAD, PIZZA and FOCACCIA
SAUCES and DRESSINGS
Appetizers: VEGETABLES
Appetizers: UOVA and FRITTATA
Appetizers: MEAT and CHEESE
Appetizers: FISH
First Courses: SOUPS
First Courses: DRIED PASTA
First Courses: FRESH PASTA
First Courses: STUFFED FRESH PASTA
First Courses: RICE, POLENTA and GNOCCHI
Main Courses: BEEF and VEAL
Main Courses: PORK, LAMB and GOAT
Main Courses: POULTRY and GAME
Main Courses: FISH
Main Courses: SNAILS, FROGS, INNARDS and more
SALADS and SIDE ORDERS
DESSERTS
ICE CREAM