posted by mamaSue 10-15-99 2:30 AM
Sienna Panforte
This is a wonderful fruity, nutty, heavy Italian cake/sweet ideal for nibbling with coffee or for taking on a bushwalk. It's also very easy to make - try experimenting with the nuts and fruits.
1/2 cup honey
5 teaspoons raw sugar
100g blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
75g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
30g crystallized ginger, finely chopped
30g cherries, finely chopped
80g mixed peel, finely chopped
90g wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
3 tablespoons cocoa, optional
Preheat oven to 160° C and line and butter a 20 cm tin.
Heat honey and raw sugar.
Gently toast nuts in a frying pan until lightly golden brown (and the aroma is irresistible).
Put ginger, cheeries and mixed peel in a bowl with nuts.
Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
And up to 3 tablespoons of cocoa if you like; decrease the flour if you do.
Pour honey and sugar in the bowl and mix well.
Spread mixture into a 20 cm lined, buttered tin.
Bake at 160oC for 40-45 minutes.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and allow to cool.
Serve in thin slices.