Ingredients
100g dark chocolate, chopped
¾ cup plain flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp mixed spice
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
¾ cup coarsely chopped dried dates
1/3 cup coarsely chopped glace cherries
1 cup blanched almonds, roasted
1 cup hazelnuts, roasted
1 cup macadamia nuts, roasted
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
Pure icing sugar, to dust
Method
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Preheat oven to 130 degrees C fan-forced (150 degrees conventional). Grease a deep 20cm round cake pan and line base with baking paper.
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Put chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (don't let water touch base of bowl) and stir until chocolate melts. Remove from heat.
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Sift flour, cocoa and spice into a large bowl and stir in zest, fruit and nuts.
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Put honey, caster sugar, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugars dissolve. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour hot syrup, then melted chocolate, onto fruit mixture. Mix well.
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Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in pan. Remove panforte from pan and wrap in foil. Stand overnight, dust with icing sugar and slice to serve. For extra flair, use Christmas stencils to make icing sugar patterns across the top.
