SNOWFLAKE PANFORTE

This classic Italian cake is extremely easy to make and can be wrapped in baking parchment and stored for up to a month – it makes a fabulous gift.

Serves 12

2 sheets edible rice paper (optional) or baking parchment 100g (3½oz) each walnuts, whole blanched hazelnuts and almonds 125g (4½oz) each dried figs and dried apricots, chopped

50g (1¾oz) chopped mixed peel 50g (1¾oz) plain flour ½tsp each ground nutmeg and cinnamon

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) runny honey

Icing sugar, for decorating

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4. Lightly butter a 20cm round, loose-bottomed tin and line with edible rice paper or parchment. Roast the nuts on a tray for 15 minutes, until golden. Roughly chop the figs and apricots, then place in a food processor with the peel and blend for a few seconds to make a soft rubble. Add the nuts and blitz until very roughly chopped. Tip into a bowl then sift in the flour and spices. Turn the oven down to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2.

Heat the sugar and honey in a pan until melted, then bring to the boil until it reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer (or until a little of the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into a cup of cold water). Quickly stir in the nut mixture, pour into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a wet spoon. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Leave to cool and firm up, then remove from the tin. Trim the edible rice paper or remove the baking parchment, sieve over some icing sugar, using a paper stencil if you like, and cut into slices.