Pan Forte Di Siena

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely with the almonds. Put the nuts in a bowl and add the candied peels, cocoa, flour, and spices; mix well. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and honey and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a bit of the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Spread the batter evenly in the pan; the cake will be no more than about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. While still warm, invert the cake onto a wire rack. Carefully peel off the parchment and let cool completely. Sprinkle the top of the cake generously with confectioner's sugar. Serve cut in thin wedges. Note: I find using a well greased ceramic pie dish eliminates the need for parchment. This cake will keep for at least 2 weeks if well wrapped in foil.