Macadamia and Ginger Panforte

Sift the flour, cocoa, mixed spice, pepper and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in ginger and nuts, make a well in the centre. Warm the syrup in a saucepan over a low heat. Sprinkle in castor sugar and stir continuously until sugar has dissolved. Add vanilla essence and bring to the boil. Once the mixture is boiling remove it from the heat and allow the bubbles to subside. Pour the liquid into the well in the dry ingredients and mix with a sturdy wooden spoon until incorporated. The mixture become quite hard to mix. Press the dough into a well-greased 23cm spring-form cake tin lined with baking paper and press down firmly with your hands. If your hands get sticky, wet them slightly. Bake at 170 C for 30 minutes. The centre will be soft and the edges firm. Cool in tin for at least 30 minutes before turning out on to a cake rack. Cool thoroughly. If possible, keep the panforte in an airtight container 2 - 3 days. Serve dusted with a thick layer of icing sugar and cut into tiny wedges. If making small panforte, divide the mixture between four 10cm greased cake tins lined with baking paper. Bake at 170 C for 20 minutes.