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If you have never tried panforte, you are truly missing out. Panforte is a wonderful, traditional Italian dessert that contains fruits, nuts, and honey. It is a delicious chewy, dense, rich confection (almost a cross between a cake and a candy) that originated in Italy over 800 years ago! Literally, Panforte means “strong bread” which refers to the spicy flavor. The “original” name was “panpepato” (pepper bread), due to the strong spices used in the cake. Currently, there are many shops in Italy that produce Panforte, and each recipe is slightly different. These shops jealously guard their particular interpretation of the original recipe and package it in their own distinctive wrappings. Usually a small wedge is served with coffee or a dessert wine after a meal, but many people also enjoy it as a breakfast treat with their morning coffee. Italian folklore even says that the Crusaders used to take Panforte with them to their battles because of the sustaining energy it provided! It it worked for the Crusaders on the battlegrounds, it will definitely work to get you through another hectic afternoon at the office!

1 cup almonds

1 cup hazlenuts

2 cups (mixed) pitted prunes, dries figs and dried apricots, diced (experiment with other dried fruits as well to your liking)

2/3 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon all spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon dried ground ginger

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or use good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips)

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spread the almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 20 minutes in the oven, shaking the pan every 5 minutes or so to toss the nuts. Pour the hazelnuts onto a clean kitchen towel and rub them to remove the skins. Very coarsely chop the almonds and halve the hazelnuts. Place all of the nuts in a large bowl and stir in the diced dried fruit, flour, cocoa powder, and spices.

Heat the honey and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes (if using a candy thermometer, boil to about 235 degrees). remove mixture form the heat and stir in the chocolate until smooth. Pour this mixture into the nut and fruit mixture; working quickly with a sturdy wooden spoon, stir until well combined (you will need to work rather quickly with this because the mixture will thicken very fast). Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes until mixture is “set”. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. While the cake is still slightly warm, remove it from the pan and allow it to continue cooling completely on the rack. Dust the top generously with powdered sugar, and cut into slices to serve.

NOTE: Panforte will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks!!

Makes 12 servings. Per serving: 210 calories, 8 g total fat (mostly from the nuts), less than 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 21 g total carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 8 g added sugar, 7 g protein, 3 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.