'Panforte' pies

INGREDIENTS


140g mixed shelled and blanched nuts such as pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and cashews
375g pack ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry
plain flour, for dusting
50g butter
50g dark brown muscovado sugar
3 tbsp dark maple syrup
50g good-quality chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
1 egg, beaten
zest ½ orange
50g soft dried figs, chopped to a paste in a food processor
½ tsp cinnamon
To serve
150ml whipping cream
1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
1 tbsp Cointreau or other Christmassy booze
zest ½ orange

PROCEDURE

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toast the nuts on a small baking tray for 5-8 mins until golden. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and stamp 12 circles with a 7.5cm plain round cutter. Use to line the wells of a 12-hole bun tin. Chill until step 3. (You will only use around half of the pastry.)
• Turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Melt the butter, sugar, syrup and chocolate together in a small pan, then beat in the egg, orange zest, figs and cinnamon. Stir in the toasted nuts.
• Spoon the nutty mixture into the pastry cases and bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is pale golden. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove to a rack until just warm. Whip the cream with the sugar and booze, then dust the pies with a little icing sugar and finish with a dollop of cream and a scattering of orange zest just before eating. Good with strong coffee or mint tea.

SOURCE: bbcgoodfood.com