Almond Date Panaforte
A classic 'naughty but nice' slice, cut into squares ideal with coffee Makes 30 squares (15 servings)
Ingredients
- 200g of good quality couverture (dark) chocolate finely chopped
- 200g honey
- 200g packet (2 cups) natural almonds, chopped roughly
- 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
- 50g sultanas, chopped
- 50g dried apricots, chopped
- 8red glace cherries, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- ½ cup cocoa
- Icing sugar to sprinkle over the top
Instructions
Preheat oven 180 degrees celsius (conventional), 170 degrees (fan-forced) Gently heat chocolate in bowl over pan of barely simmering water until melted. Simmer for another 2 minutes stirring gently. Slowly add the honey, combine and stir well. Remove, set aside.
Combine flour and cocoa in large bowl and mix together. Add the almonds, all the dried fruit and the cherries and combine well. Pour the chocolate and honey over the dry ingredients. Mix quickly until well combined.
Using wet hands, press mixture into greased and lined 18 x 28 x 2.5cm deep slice pan. Bake on middle shelf for 15 minutes (fan-forced) 20 minutes (conventional) ONLY. The Panaforte firms on cooling.
Cool thoroughly in pan, preferably overnight. Sprinkle well with sifted icing sugar. Cut into approx 30, about 3cm x 5cm oblong squares. Store in airtight container between layers of baking paper.
