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Dessert
Italian
6 - 8 servings
30 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
6 ounces whole almonds, unblanched
6 ounces hazelnuts, unblanched
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 pounds dried fruits (any combination of apricots, figs, raisins, cranberries, cherries, and pineapple)
Confectioners' sugar for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keeping them separate on a cookie sheet, toast the almonds and hazelnuts for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place the hazelnuts in a dry towel and rub to remove the skins. Leave the skins on the almonds.
In a large bowl, toss the nuts with the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, flour, and cocoa powder. Cut the fruits into 1/2 inch pieces and add, stirring to combine.
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the sugar and honey to a full boil and cook to 225 degrees (soft ball state). Immediately pour into the fruit mixture and stir. The dough will be very stiff.
Generously butter and dust with flour or cocoa powder a 9 inch springform pan or 9 inch x 1 inch flan ring placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet. With buttered or wet hands, press the fruit mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 1 hour, until the edges look set and the top is slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan.
Run a knife around the edges of the pan and remove the sides. Store at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic. (Can keep for several weeks.) Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar and slice into thin wedges.
