Italian Cheese Trio With Panforte

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350u00b0. Toast the hazelnuts and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and lightly colored inside, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely. Reduce oven temp to 300u00b0.

2. 2

   Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-in tart pan with a removable bottom.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest. Add the nuts and figs and stir to coat.

4. 4

   In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and honey over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 245u00b0 on a candy thermometer, 2-3 minutes. Immediately pour over the nut mixture. Working quickly, stir until the dry ingredients are coated; the mixture will be stiff. Transfer to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a wooden spoon dipped in cold water. Bake for 40 minutes. The mixture will still be tacky to the touch. Cool the panforte completely on a rack, then remove from the pan. Slice into 16 thin wedges. Pass the cheeses and panforte separately.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.