Panforte (Italian Christmas Cake)

Panforte is a unique Italian fruitcake from Tuscany. It has a chewy, almost candy-like texture . . . so irresistible. This delicious Christmas cake is studded with nuts and dried fruits, held together with a thick batter rich with spices, cocoa, and honey. The cake is quick and easy to make - you'll love its simplicity - yet the results are rich and complex. Leave the panforte for a week or so, and it gets even better. A small slice is just the right touch after a big holiday meal or with a cup of coffee when you need a pick-me-up. Start a new old tradition for the holidays this year!

 

Chewy, rich, and decadent (yet with no added fat!), panforte is a fantastic alternative to fruitcake on your holiday menus. 

On our first trip to Italy years ago, I was on a mission to taste authentic panforte at the source. Since it was summer, we had trouble finding it, but we eventually tracked some down in a bakery in the little town of Colle Val d'Elsa in the province of Siena in Tuscany. We bought three or four different varieties - brie-shaped discs wrapped in decorative paper which we stashed in the glove compartment of our little rented car. Whenever we had a craving, we used a jack knife to cut off hunks of the chewy, spicy cake. Munching greedily, we sped down curving country roads in the hill country in the middle of Tuscany. Icing sugar powdered our mouths and we sighed with happy grins as we nibbled and gazed at the vista of rolling green fields, columns of cyprus trees, and glowing hilltowns unfolding before us. To me, the taste of panforte will be forever tied to the glorious beauty of the Tuscan countryside.

I am so glad I can easily make it at home now. A slice of that peppery panforte and I am back in beautiful Italy.

What is Panforte?

The name for this deliciously chewy, spicy fruitcake literally translates as 'strong bread' (in Italian, pan means 'bread' and forte means 'strong'). It originates in Tuscany, specifically in the city of Siena, but is known and loved all over the country. The historical name for the cake was panpepato, which means 'peppery bread'. This was due to the warm and fiery flavour which came from a generous use of spices and a good dose of pepper. Panforte is traditionally a Christmas cake, but is enjoyed year-round now.

Panforte dates back at least to the 1200s, some sources even say to the year 1000. It was originally made by the nuns and the pan was often lined with communion wafers to keep the cake from sticking (parchment paper works well instead). The original nuns' cakes were made without the addition of chocolate, but some time in the 1800s, cocoa was added. Today you can find many variations of this wonderful fruitcake, some with cocoa or chocolate, some without, some with more pepper and some with none, many with different combinations of nuts or dried fruits. I love the rich flavour the cocoa adds. 

The honey and sugar syrup gives panforte an almost toffee-like consistency, yet it's not an overly sweet cake. Since it only contains enough flour to bind it, panforte is easily made gluten-free, too (rice flour works wonderfully). You really do need the pepper in this cake - white pepper is great, but black pepper will work, too. It doesn't jump out at you, just dances with the other spices and leaves a soft warmth on your tongue. Panforte is traditionally topped with a thick layer of icing sugar, but you can also top it with a chocolate glaze or a layer of marzipan, or brush it with some warmed and strained apricot jam.

This decadent cake is wonderful as a dessert; serve a sliver after a heavy holiday meal with a cup of coffee or tea for a very simple and satisfying finale. Pass around a bowl of mandarin oranges or seedless grapes as an accompaniment and you need nothing more.

Or cut yourself a slice in the middle of the afternoon when you need a pick-me-up and enjoy it with your favourite hot beverage. The world just seems to fade away. (You might even do some armchair traveling to Tuscany!) A wedge of panforte, wrapped prettily, makes a lovely holiday gift or hostess gift, too.

How to Make It? Easy!

In a big bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients: whole almonds, whole hazelnuts, candied citrus peel, dried fruit, almond flour, cocoa powder, rice flour or regular flour, spices, salt and pepper.

Then boil the honey and sugar together until the sugar granules have all melted. Pour this syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well. The batter will be very stiff - you'll need a wooden spoon and a strong arm to stir it together well.

Now pack it into a pan that you've greased, lined with parchment paper, and greased again. 

Press it in firmly - it's best to use wet hands to do this (brings me back to playing with mud pies as a kid!)

Let the cake rest for a while, then pop it into a medium-low oven and bake it until it's still just slightly soft in the center. Let the panforte cool in the pan, then peel off the parchment paper.

The traditional way to finish a panforte (and the crowning glory) is to dust it all over, bottom, sides, and top, with a blanket of icing sugar snow.

I know it's best after a week, so the flavours have mellowed and the texture evened out, but I just cannot wait. A cup of cocoa (not too sweet and laced with a whiff of lebkuchen spice) is the perfect accompaniment!

Tips for Making Panforte

• When heating the honey, keep stirring and watching for the point when all the sugar granules have dissolved. If they don't dissolve, they can give a grainy texture to the panforte. But don't cook the syrup longer afterwards, or the batter can get too hard.
• If you don't have an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan, an 8-inch cake pan can be used - just make sure it is well greased and completely lined with parchment paper.
• The batter is best if it sits in the pan for an hour to rest before baking, so the flour can fully absorb the liquid. If needed, it can be covered and left at room temperature for several hours or up to overnight before baking.
• When pressing the batter into the pan, use wet hands and pack it down firmly so there are no air pockets.
• Work quickly before the batter cools and hardens somewhat.

Substitutions

• Use any whole or coarsely chopped nuts instead of almonds or hazelnuts.
• Use chopped dried apricots, pears or figs instead of the cranberries.
• Replace the almond flour with another nut flour.
• Use black pepper instead of white pepper.
• If you like it really peppery, use up to ½ to 1 teaspoon of pepper, to your taste.

To Store the Cake

Panforte is best if left for at least a week to 'age' before eating it, but two or three weeks is even better. The spices meld and mellow and the texture evens out so the nuts soften somewhat to make a uniform chewiness throughout. So delicious.

Wrap it well in parchment paper, or wax paper and tin foil, or a double layer of plastic food wrap, and then store it in a heavy-duty zip-top bag or a cookie tin or container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep it in a cool, dark spot or in the refrigerator. Wrapped well and sealed, it will keep for up to two months.

Panforte can also be well wrapped and sealed and frozen for up to a year. 

More Holiday Baking Ideas

Are you in the baking mood? If you'd like to try another delicious fruitcake, how about a beautiful German Stollen, that famous Christmas fruit bread loaded with nuts and raisins, subtly spiced, and filled with a creamy, nutty marzipan center? This version is an easy no-yeast one, with clear instructions and photos for how to shape it (also gluten-free).

Or maybe you'd also like to make a traditional Canadian fruitcake - this amazing family recipe has gumdrops in it and is sure to convert even the staunchest fruitcake hater into a fruitcake lover. Kids of all ages gobble this one up!

And take a look at these other delicious holiday baking recipes (they're all gluten-free, too). You'll find a lot of fantastic recipe ideas there.

Guten Appetit!

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