Italian Christmas Cake (Panforte di Siena)

For several years now, I’ve made a traditional Italian Christmas cake called “panforte di Siena” for Christmas. It is an extremely rich, chewy cake loaded with dried fruits, toasted nuts, chocolate, and honey. I’ve experimented with a few variations—some have worked, some have not, but either way, baking this cake has been on my December “to do” list ever since 2007 when I discovered the recipe in “World Food: Italy” by Linda Doeser.

This year, I enhanced it with kahlua, chipotle pepper, and chia seeds, a “superfood” packed with fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. This cake is extremely rich, so one cake will easily serve 16 people, as portions are best kept small.

Slices of this are lovely when served with a light, tannic red wine!


Italian Christmas Cake (Panforte di Siena)

Cake "batter"

Dry ingredients:
2/3 c. toasted hazelnuts, chopped
2/3 c. toasted almonds, chopped
2 T. toasted pine nuts, chopped
2 T. chia seeds
2/3 c. candied citrus peel, minced
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. dried pineapple rings, minced
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground chipotle pepper
¼ t. ground coriander
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 c. almond flour
¼ c. all-purpose flour

Wet ingredients:
½ c. sugar
½ c. chestnut honey
1 T. butter
1 T. Kahlua
1 t. rose water (optional)

To prepare, line an 8-inch cake pan with removable sides with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 300. In the meantime, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Combine the sugar, chestnut honey, butter, Kahlua, and rose water (if using) in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to a boil, cooking for about 5 minutes (the mixture should foam a bit). Stir in the dry ingredients and remove from heat.

Using a wooden spoon, continue to stir the mixture off of the heat source, then spoon the mixture into the parchment-lined cake pan. The mixture will be thick and sticky, so flatten it out with the back of the wooden spoon (dampen the spoon with warm water if the mixture sticks too much). Place in the oven and bake for one hour. When baking is complete, remove the pan from the oven, place the pan on a heatproof surface, and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Once the cake has cooled, invert the cake on a serving platter or plate, remove the parchment paper, and slice into thin wedges to serve.

* Nutritional info: you don’t want to know…

Removing parchment paper

Italian Christmas Cake with a slice removed

Slice of Italian Christmas Cake

Campaign Cocktails for Debate Drinking

Ladies and gentlemen, Election Season 2012 is underway, and the first Presidential Debate is airing on Wednesday, October 3. Whether you’re a committed party member or just a committed partier, the Presidential Debates can provide loads of information—and, often unintentionally, loads of laughter.

Whether you’re genuinely interested in what the candidates have to say or if you’re just in it to play a few drinking games (remember “Palin Bingo?”), here are three cocktails that everybody can agree on: For the Lefty, the ALObama Slammer; for the Righty, the Mitt-tini; and for the Swing Voter, the Singapore Mudsling.


The ALObama Slammer

The traditional Alabama Slammer is made with Amaretto, Southern Comfort, and Orange Juice. In this version, we substitute Peach Lambic beer for the peach-flavored Southern Comfort, because we know our President likes his beer. This recipe serves two, because when it comes to good beer, it’s always nice to share your wealth.

2 shots amaretto
Orange juice
1 750 mL bottle Lindeman’s Peach Lambic

Divide the amaretto between two pint glasses. Add a splash of orange juice to each, and fill each glass with the Peach Lambic beer.



The Mitt-tini

Sometimes a candidate has to abandon ideals to appeal to his/her base, so this martini features a few things that your typical Mormon would frown upon, but on top is a float of Goldschlager, which contains flakes of gold. This recipe serves one—if someone else wants a sip, just say, “You didn’t build that!”

1 oz. vodka
½ t. cocoa powder
2 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. goldschlager

Combine the vodka, cocoa powder, and Kahlua in a shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Pouring slowly and carefully over the back of a spoon, “float” the goldschlager atop the mixed drink so that you can see the gold flakes.


The Singapore Mudsling

This drink is for the person who can’t take the back-and-forth blame game or the mudslinging. Sometimes, all the lying and the finger-pointing and the half-truths will drive you to drink! This cross between a Singapore Sling and a Mudslide will do the trick. It serves two, and I must warn you that it’s deceptive strength may sneak up on you, so make sure you don’t drink too many and sleep through Election Day!

1 oz. dry gin
2 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut coffee creamer (SoDelicious is my favorite brand)
2 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. brandy from brandy-soaked cherries
4 brandy-soaked cherries
1 t. cocoa powder
Squeeze lime juice
Handful ice cubes
Lime wedges, to garnish
Sprinkle cocoa powder, to garnish

Blend all ingredients except the lime wedges in a blender—the drink will foam a bit, so pour immediately. Serve in margarita glasses, garnished with a lime wedge and a sprinkle of cocoa powder atop the foam.