Every year at around this time my family and I head up to the mid north coast for a week or two. I am probably too old to still be going on family holidays but I love it too much to give it up just yet. Boomerang Beach, a 20 minute drive from Foster, will always be my favourite beach in the world. It is the perfect length for a mildly strenuous jog and in a gentle nor-easter there is no place better to be. Swimming conditions this year were superb; gentle surf and warm water. We were also lucky with the weather, considering the all-round abysmal summer it has been, and had plenty of sunny days. For the last few years I have made a couple of panforte to take away with us. They travel well and improve with age, making them the perfect holiday treat. Serve a thin(ish) slice with coffee and savour slowly. Heaven.
Ingredients:
140g/1 cup hazelnuts
310g/2 cups blanched almonds (see below)
320g/2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts
120g unsalted raw pistachio nuts (if available, otherwise make up the wight with the other nuts)
200g dried figs or apricots, thinly sliced
300g/2 cups good quality dark chocolate, chopped
600g honey
115g raw or white caster sugar
185g plain flour
2 tblsp unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
Method:
Toast the nuts, keeping each type separate, on baking paper lined trays in a hot oven to a pale golden. Rub the hot hazelnuts in a clean cloth to remove the skins (or as much as will come off). Combine the hot nuts and sliced figs. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
In a heavy based saucepan, gently heat the honey and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Add the melted chocolate and beat well using a wooden spoon.
Stir the flour, cocoa and spices into the nut and flour mixture, stir to mix, then add the chocolate and honey syrup. Do this fairly quickly as the mixture will be quite stiff. Distribute between the two tins, smoothing the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake should be firm but still quite glossy looking. It is almost better a little undercooked, where only the edges dry out a little and the centre is soft and chewy.
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