Gluten free pan forte di siena

My friend Russel and his wife Vikki asked me to make some yummy gluten free goodies for his friends as X'mas gifts. He is intolerant to wheat, apparently so as some of his friends. When I was asked to bake/make some little things for them, I was a bit excited. I think I always do when I cook/bake food(s) I like. This time I came up with some Christmassy things. 

Pistachio and cranberry biscotti

Panforte di Siena

Mixed berry Lokum (Turkish Delight)

This is the recipe for Biscotti

200g gluten free flour

100g ground almonds

100g mixture of polenta and tapioca

225g sugar

20g potato flour

100g pistachio & cranberry

pinch of spices (cinnamon & aniseed)

1teasp gluten free baking powder

4 egg

vanilla 

2 lemon zest

mix all flours, spices, sugar and zest, bine it with eggs. make into a log, put onto baking tray and bake for 20mins or so, let it cool, slice them. put them back on tray bake till dry. 

bake at 180°, then lower to 150°.

I hadn't made Panforte for ages. Last time I made was when I was working in the restaurant in South Kensington. That was loooong time ago. The executive chef apparently said to my head chef that was the best panforte he ever had. That was very nice to hear, where was my pay rise chef???

I wanted to re-create the Panforte, but I couldn't find the bloody recipe! I was gutted. Biscotti recipe is adaption of my restaurant recipe. I've stopped buying/finding special cooking books (gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian) for a while. Still, vegan cup cake recipe book is the funnest one so far, must bake some more cakes this year!

Anyway, here's the recipe for the panforte di siena:

75g hazelnuts(pre-roasted, and chopped)

75g blanched almonds(Pre-roasted and chopped)

175g candied peel/ mixed fruits(apricot etc)

20g Carob powder

50g Gluten free flour/ rice & tapioca flour mix

half teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground mixed spice

100g Runny honey

100g Golden caster sugar

Little orange extract/ orange flour water

Pre-heat the oven to 150℃, gas mark 2. Line a 20cm flan tin with baking *parchment paper. Not grease proof paper(it sticks and doesn't come off)

Put the all dry ingredients in a bowl, mix well.

Put the sugar and honey in a saucepan and heat gently until a sugar thermometer reaches to 115℃. Then remove from the heat mix quickly with all other ingredients.

Put the mixture in the tin, dip your spoon in hot water to smooth the surface, about 1cm-1.5cm thick.

Bake it for about 30mins or so. When it comes out, it should be slightly soft in the middle, it'll cook as it cools down. While it's still warm, peel the paper, onto cooling rack. Cut into wedges.

Dust with icing sugar when it cools down.

* Or use rice paper. No need to peel off. But sometimes, rice paper has wheat flour in it. so, please read ingredients before purchase.