Logo
Allow cookies

'Panforte' pies

Ingredients

  1. Step 1 140g mixed shelled and blanched nut such as pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and cashews
  2. Step 2 375g pack ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry
  3. Step 3 plain flour , for dusting
  4. Step 4 50g butter
  5. Step 5 50g dark brown muscovado sugar
  6. Step 6 3 tbsp dark maple syrup
  7. Step 7 50g good-quality chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
  8. Step 8 1 egg , beaten
  9. Step 9 zest ½ orange
  10. Step 10 50g soft dried fig , chopped to a paste in a food processor
  11. Step 11 ½ tsp cinnamon
  12. Step 12 150ml whipping cream
  13. Step 13 1 tbsp icing sugar , plus extra to dust
  14. Step 14 1 tbsp Cointreau or other Christmassy booze
  15. Step 15 zest ½ orange
'Panforte' pies
Calories: 294 Carbohydrate: 28 g Protein: 6 g Fat: 18 g
Cook time: 45 minutes Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 60 minutes Servings: 12

TAGS

Dessert Italian Christmas dessert Christmas-kitchen Festive dessert Fruit py Indulgent Jane Hornby Mince py Sweet canape

Directions

  1. Step 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toast the nuts on a small baking tray for 5-8 mins until golden. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and stamp 12 circles with a 7.5cm plain round cutter. Use to line the wells of a 12-hole bun tin. Chill until step 3. (You will only use around half of the pastry.)
  2. Step 2 Turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Melt the butter, sugar, syrup and chocolate together in a small pan, then beat in the egg, orange zest, figs and cinnamon. Stir in the toasted nuts.
  3. Step 3 Spoon the nutty mixture into the pastry cases and bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is pale golden. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove to a rack until just warm. Whip the cream with the sugar and booze, then dust the pies with a little icing sugar and finish with a dollop of cream and a scattering of orange zest just before eating. Good with strong coffee or mint tea.