dedavis
12-19-2007, 11:35 AM
I made this yesterday--it's wicked good. I clipped the recipe from Martha Stewart a couple years ago. Pan Forte is a kind of Italian fruitcake, and a tiny sliver of this is fine with your breaktime coffee or tea.
CHOCOLATE PAN FORTE
1 cup whole hazelnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries (I use the ones I dry in the summer, and add a few dried blueberries as well)
2 tablespoons brandy (or white grape juice and a little vanilla)
4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Toast the hazelnuts in a shallow pan in a 350 degree oven, about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Rub the nuts together in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins (or as much as you can get off). Set aside.
Reduce oven heat to 300. Butter a 9" springform pan. Fit the bottom with a circle of baking parchment, and butter that. Set aside.
Combine fruit, nuts, brandy and chocolates in a medium bowl and let sit for awhile.
Combine sugar and honey in a saucepan, and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer for two minutes, then add to fruit-nut-chocolate mixture. Combine while warm--if it cools too much it will set up. If this happens, microwave for a minute. Fold in the flour and cinnamon. Pour into prepared pan. With wet hands, press into the pan for make an even layer.
Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a teaspoon of good quality cocoa powder. Sift evenly over the top of the unbaked cake. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely. Brush off the flour topping before cutting. I cut into quarters, then slivers for serving. Store in an airtight container.
Make a great gift, wrapped in parchment and string.
CHOCOLATE PAN FORTE
1 cup whole hazelnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries (I use the ones I dry in the summer, and add a few dried blueberries as well)
2 tablespoons brandy (or white grape juice and a little vanilla)
4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Toast the hazelnuts in a shallow pan in a 350 degree oven, about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Rub the nuts together in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins (or as much as you can get off). Set aside.
Reduce oven heat to 300. Butter a 9" springform pan. Fit the bottom with a circle of baking parchment, and butter that. Set aside.
Combine fruit, nuts, brandy and chocolates in a medium bowl and let sit for awhile.
Combine sugar and honey in a saucepan, and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer for two minutes, then add to fruit-nut-chocolate mixture. Combine while warm--if it cools too much it will set up. If this happens, microwave for a minute. Fold in the flour and cinnamon. Pour into prepared pan. With wet hands, press into the pan for make an even layer.
Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a teaspoon of good quality cocoa powder. Sift evenly over the top of the unbaked cake. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely. Brush off the flour topping before cutting. I cut into quarters, then slivers for serving. Store in an airtight container.
Make a great gift, wrapped in parchment and string.