Panforte : The Tuscan Treat Too Good to Save for Christmas
Medieval & Christmas origins, yet delicious all year-round
Panforte is a renowned Italian traditional fruit cake from Siena in Tuscany, a medieval town with UNESCO World Heritage status. Panforte’s traditions originate in making a cake to preserve fruits for all the year round. In Italy it’s a Christmas essential dating back for centuries. However, Panforte is eaten throughout the year, at any time of day - as a dessert, with cheese, as part of an antipasto board, or simply with a cup of coffee or tea, or indeed a suitable glass of wine!
Panforte is famous for its addictively dense, chewy qualities, packed full of flavours with dried and candied fruits and nuts(predominantly from Puglia), honey and mixed spices. Subtle spices are key ingredients too, and there is no added sugars as sweetness comes from the fruits and natural fructose. The cakes have a delicate outer sprinkling of icing sugar.
There are a number of varieties of Panforte in Italy. At Mercato PRONTO we currently offer four varieties of Panforte, all coming from the Sienese producer Fabbrica del Panforte.
The classic and best-selling Panforte. This recipe was created to honour Queen Margherita during her visit to Siena, with a the recipe dictated by the guidelines of the Ricciarelli and Panforte Protection Association.
The Margherita pairs well with classic Italian cheeses such as Gorgonzola dolce, and Tuscan Pecorino, all available at Mercato Pronto.
And of course, this Panforte will go well with any English cheese, in particular perhaps at Christmas a Stilton or Cheddar. If you’d like to pair it with a wine a good example is the Valpolicella Ripasso DOC, with its rich cherry spiced notes.
Rich and aromatic, Panforte Nero is known traditionally as ‘Panpepato’ one of the oldest traditional Sienese desserts. The renowned bold flavour of ‘black Panforte’ is due to a blend of intensely flavoured spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper.
The spicier Nero pairs well with Gorgonzola Piccante and a wine such as the rich, full-bodied Northern classic - Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG.
Delightful Italian dried figs and walnuts compliment this Panforte and make it an ideal accompaniment to cheeses. As the bakers in Siena comment “Panforte Fichi E Noci is reminiscent of the traditional flavours of the Sienese autumn”. The ingredients also comprise almonds and candied citron and melon.
This Panforte pairs well with cheeses, you can even experiment with charcuterie. At Pronto we recommend you try it with our ‘miele acacia’, a Tuscan acacia honey.
We are pleased to offer this gluten-free Panforte - created without the use of flour and therefore suitable for those who are gluten intolerant. This variation respects tradition as the addition of flour is minimal in the original recipe, and its absence does not substantially alter the flavour of the Morbido.
Morbido in Italy means soft or tender, and this Panforte is essentially a close match to the Margherita - studded with candied fruits, almonds and warming spices. Therefore, in terms of pairing take your choice! Or follow the suggestions for the Margherita.
Pairing
I would certainly suggest you explore Panforte with Gorgonzola dolce. Also try it with Blu diVino, a divine cheese by name and nature! This ‘drunk cheese’ is an aromatic cheese, soaked in Barbera d’Asti DOCG, with a sweet, buttery centre.
The Panforte Nero with its more spicier pepper infusion goes well with Gorgonzola piccante, creamy to slightly crumbly, with pronounced blue veins and a complex, savoury finish. Then there is the Pecorino toscano stagionato DOP, like Panforte from Tuscany, a firm, nutty sheep’s milk cheese aged for at least 6 months for a sharper, more structured flavour.
You can most certainly also add Panforte to an antipasto board to compliment the flavours there including charcuterie, meats and olives. As I noted earlier the Panforte Fichi E Noci is well complimented by ‘miele acacia’, a Tuscan acacia honey.
Fabbrica del Panforte
All the Pronto Panforte come from this Sienese bakers and confectioners. They are a family run baker drawing on handed down original recipes with a strict respect for tradition. As they put it themselves the following encapsulates their ethos:
“Small but driven by great passion, Fabbrica del Panforte preserves the authentic taste of Siena through artisanal baked goods. Drawing from historic recipes inherited from master confectioners, our products embody the essence of Siena: simple, sincere, original, and natural. Every treat from Fabbrica del Panforte is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring unmatched freshness and authentic.”
However, when Christmas is over do not put the Panforte in the cupboard! They are ideal throughout the year.
Tanti Saluti
Ilaria
