Panforte is an Italian dessert that is similar to candy, made with nuts, raisins, citron, honey, flour, eggs, and sweet spices. It has a complex texture and taste and is often served with a dusting of powdered sugar. The dessert originated in Siena and is sometimes called Torta di Siena.
Panforte, sometimes written as pan forte, is an Italian confection or cake. It’s a bit difficult to decide whether to call this Italian dessert cake or candy. It has a rich, thick and chewy nature, much more like candy than cake. The name makes matters worse, as in translation it means strong bread, and there is certainly very little about strong bread that resembles bread. Whatever you decide to call it, the dessert is sure to inspire the Scottish black bun, a similar confection surrounded by a layer of pastry.
Christmas was once the traditional time to make this dessert, but now it’s done and sure to be enjoyed all year round. Recipes for the dessert date back to the early 1200s, and most food historians believe panforte originated in Siena. Further proof of this is found in the alternative name of the dessert, Torta di Siena or panforte di Siena. A beautiful origin story suggests that torte was made even earlier by nuns in the 11th century, and that the dish’s spicy aromas were used to drive away the devil.
The recipes for this round, low, dense cake may differ slightly. It is mostly a combination of nuts (mostly almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts), raisins, citron, honey, a small amount of flour, sometimes eggs, and a generous amount of sweet spices. Panforte can also include black pepper, although this is not always the case. The pies are almost always round, although if you buy it at a local deli or bakeries, you can often buy it in single slices. It is also traditional to let the panforte rest for several days before it is eaten to intensify and blend its flavours.
Biting into a slice of panforte reveals a fascinating and complex texture and taste. Some find the flavor comparable to ground beef, although the dessert does not typically contain alcohol. It’s thick and chewy, with lots of crunchy nuts, and it’s extremely dense. Some remember fruitcake when they try this confection, even though there is no yeast and little flour in the recipe. You could almost call it fruit brandy, since it’s not a wet dessert.
The simplest panfortes simply have a dusting of powdered sugar and are served fresh, usually, as mentioned, a few days after they’ve been baked. Many rave about the complexity in flavor of the chocolate versions, which add even more richness and texture. You’ll often find a simpler version in gourmet grocery stores or Italian delicatessens in the United States, but it’s a little harder to find the chocolate variant.
Chocolate lovers shouldn’t despair as there are a number of recipes online and you can usually order the type of chocolate from food importers on the internet. While the dessert is often imported from Italy, there are a few companies in the United States and elsewhere that make their own versions. Lovers of this Italian confection might suggest that, if you want real panforte, you should buy authentic versions made in Siena.
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