Panforte with almonds, walnuts and figs

Sienese panforte with toasted almonds, walnuts, figs, honey, cocoa and gingerbread spice – dairy-free and almost flourless. A dessert for Advent, 247 kcal per piece.

At a glance

• Serves 12
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cooking time: 38 min
• Total time: 63 min
• Calories: 247 kcal per serving
• Protein: 5 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 32 g

Ingredients

• 150g almonds
• 100g walnuts
• 150g dried figs
• 150g honey
• 60g coconut sugar
• 60g spelt flour
• 1 unwaxed orange
• 20g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp gingerbread spice

Method

You’ll need: oven · saucepan · springform tin · baking tray · chopping board · knife · mixing bowl · wooden spoon

1. Toast the almonds and walnuts on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 170 °C (150 °C fan) for 8 minutes, then chop them roughly. Cut the figs into strips.
2. Mix the nuts, figs, spelt flour, cocoa, gingerbread spice and grated orange zest in a bowl.
3. Heat the honey and coconut sugar in a saucepan, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the coconut sugar has dissolved and the mixture is gently simmering.
4. Pour the hot honey mixture over the nut mixture, stir everything together quickly and press it with a damp spoon into a 20 cm springform tin lined with baking paper.
5. Reduce the temperature to 160 °C and bake the panforte for 25 to 30 minutes. It will still be soft and firms up as it cools.
6. Leave it to cool completely in the tin and cut it into 12 pieces.

Good to know

Panforte is Siena's Christmas cake: more nuts and fruit than batter, spiced like gingerbread. A thin slice with an espresso is plenty.

Swaps

Figs → dried apricots. Walnuts → hazelnuts. Spelt flour → buckwheat flour (gluten-free). Gingerbread spice → cinnamon, pepper and cloves.

Cooking tips

Work quickly once you've poured over the honey mixture, as it stiffens as it cools. A lightly oiled knife cuts neat pieces.

Storage

Wrapped in baking paper, it keeps for 4 weeks.

Allergens

Contains gluten (spelt), almonds and walnuts (tree nuts); no milk or egg. Honey isn't suitable for babies under one year old.

Dairy-free recipes