Panforte is deliciously sweet, rich, chewy, and full of all the ingredients I love in a dessert – chocolate, spices, nuts and dried fruit.

It’s such a simple treat to make and a homemade version is far superior to any store-bought one. It will last for several months if stored in an air-tight container and so makes a lovely gift for the Christmas season. It will last well into the new year; long after the extravagance of Christmas and inevitable but hastily made new year’s resolutions have been forgotten. Panforte is also a great make-ahead dessert to serve at the end of an lavish Christmas lunch. Serve the panforte in small wedges with a fortified wine, Italian liqueur or espresso coffee.

I have found most panforte recipes to be quite similar; varying only by the type of fruit or nuts used. One ingredient which is often omitted, but one which is so essential, is black pepper. Black pepper give the panforte a noticeable, but pleasantly tolerable, heat and saves it from being overwhelmingly sweet.

The recipe below comes from Gourmet Traveller. I like this one the best as I like the combination of nuts and fruit however feel free to adjust this to your preferences. My only change to the recipe is the addition of a generous amount of black pepper. One and half teaspoons may seem excessive but trust me it is just the right amount!

I would have liked to have shared with you a picture of a slice of the panforte so that you could appreciate the dense, nutty filling. However, it is school holidays and this is all I could manage with two small children underfoot.

This is my last post before Christmas so I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you very much for reading! I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe festive season!