Spicy Chocolate Panforte - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
50 g butter
100 g miniature Tootsie Rolls
70 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
300 g mincemeat (I used " All In" Meatless Mincemeat)
1 cup flour
2/3 cup ground almonds
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 grated orange, zest of
300 g mixed nuts (and or or seeds, I used almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds)
50 g chopped dried figs
50 g chopped dried apricots
1 pinch salt
icing sugar, to dust

Preparation

Preheat oven to 320\u00b0F and line a 9\" square pan with parchment.
Stir sugar, honey, butter, Tootsie Rolls, chocolate and mincemeat in a pan over low heat for 3-5 minutes until sugar dissolves.
Sift flour, ground almonds, cocoa and spices into a large bowl.
Add zest, nuts, figs, apricots, salt and mince mixture.
Stir to combine well - it will be quite stiff.
Press into the prepared pan (I like placing a piece of parchment or cling wrap on the surface and using a second pan to press it evenly).
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm and dull-looking on top.
Cool in pan, then invert onto a board and dust with icing sugar.
Cut into 36 pieces.
Wrap well in plastic and age at room temperature for 1 day, then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.