Panforte (gluten-free)

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup golden syrup
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 100 g good quality dark chocolate
• 1 cup blanched almond, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
• 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
• 1 cup dried apricot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup glace pineapple, chopped
• 1/2 cup mixed peel
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup fine rice flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice or 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• icing sugar, for dusting (aka confectioners sugar)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 150°c lightly grease a 24cm square baking tin and line with baking paper.
• 2 combine the golden syrup, brown sugar and marmalade in a heavy based saucepan. using a medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture comes to the boil. reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. stir occasionally. the sugar syrup should become quite thick and foamy. remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. stir in the chocolate.
• 3 place the chopped nuts, fruit and zests in a large bowl and mix well. sift in the flour, cocoa powder and spices. mix well.
• 4 pour the chocolate syrup over the fruit and nut mixture and then stir until well combined.
• 5 spoon the mixture into the prepared tube and press flat with the back of a spoon.
• 6 bake 25 minutes or until firm when pressed in the centre.
• 7 dust heavily with sifted icing sugar while hot. cool to room temperature.
• 8 cut into slices to serve.
• 9 this recipe should keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.