Ingredients

200g

almonds

150g

walnuts or hazel nuts

300g

candied orange, chopped into small pieces

2 tsp

ground cinnamon

1 tbsp

coriander seeds, milled in a spice grinder

½ tsp

nutmeg, freshly grated

200g

plain flour

200g

icing sugar

2 tbsp

water

200g

honey (runny if possible)

4 to 5 sheets

rice paper

2 tbsp

vanilla sugar

A delicious traditional Italian panforte cake by Yorkshire food writer and photographer Joan Ransley, inspired by a recipe from Antonio Carluccio. For more recipes and information from Joan do visit her website www.joanransley.co.uk

Makes 30 pieces

Method

Preheat oven to 160 C/325 F/Gas 3.
Line an 8 square or round lose bottom cake tin with rice paper.
Mix the nuts, candied fruit, spices and flour together in a large bowl.
Place icing sugar and honey in a saucepan together with two tablespoons of water. Heat gently and stir to ensure the icing sugar is dissolves. Increase the heat until the mixture bubbles vigorously.
Quickly pour this mixture into the flour, nuts and candied peel and mix well.
Spread the mixture into the cake tin (you must work quickly now as the honey/sugar mixture will begin to cool and set).
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then remove and leave the panforte to cool in the tin.
When cool remove from the tin and dust with vanilla sugar. Store in an airtight container and refresh with a dusting of vanilla sugar as required.