Italian Pan Special

Pan spetsale, or Certosino di Bologna, is a widespread Christmas cake in Bologna, named pan spetsale thanks to pharmacists who traded in spices in medieval times. And also thanks to the monks of the Carthusian monastery of Certosa.

Ingredients

• 300 g flour
• 150 g light honey
• 100 g sugar
• 100 g bitter (60-80% cocoa) chocolate
• 100 g light raisins
• 50 g each completely peeled almonds and pine nuts
• 50 g candied lemon peels
• 2 tsp anise seed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp soda
• a pinch of salt
• butter and flour for the mold
• powdered sugar for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170 ° C. Grease a baking dish, about 24 cm in diameter, liberally, dust with flour, shake off excess.
2. Scald the raisins with boiling water, dry them. Cut the candied fruits into raisin-sized pieces. Fry almonds and pine nuts in a dry frying pan, 2 minutes. Place on a board and chop roughly. Chop the chocolate as well.
3. Grind the anise lightly in a mortar, mix with warmed honey and sugar. Add salt, baking soda and 300 ml of boiling water, stir until smooth. Add flour gradually and stir constantly to avoid clumping.
4. Add candied fruits, chocolate, almonds, pine nuts and raisins. Stir in baking powder, knead thoroughly. Place the dough in the prepared pan and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. - a wooden skewer stuck into the cake should come out dry.
5. Place the pan specialty on a platter and cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving and decorate as you wish.