-
1
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
-
2
Toast hazelnuts on a baking sheet in the oven until the skins pop and blister, 10 to 15 minutes.
-
3
Rub the skins from the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel.
-
4
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until very pale golden, about 10 to 15 minutes.
-
5
Chop the almonds and hazelnuts very coarsely.
-
6
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
-
7
Mix the nuts, orange peel, citron, lemon zest, flour, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg and pepper together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl.
-
8
Butter a nine-inch springform pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and then butter the paper.
-
9
Heat the granulated sugar, honey and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the syrup registers 242 to 248 degrees on a candy thermometer (a little of the mixture will form a ball when dropped into cold water).
-
10
Immediately pour the syrup into the mixture and stir quickly until thoroughly blended.
-
11
Pour immediately into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
-
12
The batter will become stiff and sticky very quickly so you must work fast.
-
13
Bake about 40 minutes.
-
14
The panforte won't color or seem very firm even when ready but it will harden as it cools.
-
15
Cool on a rack until the cake is firm to the touch.
-
16
Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a sheet of waxed paper.
-
17
Peel off the parchment paper.
-
18
Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar.
