Gingerbread Pralinated Dried Fruit

Gingerbread pralinated dried fruit is a delicious snack that combines the spicy flavor of gingerbread with the crunchiness of pralinated dried fruit. Here is how to prepare it, with a small Italian twist in the pralination method.

Ingredients

• 200 g of mixed dried fruit (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.)
• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of honey (for a light Italian touch)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• A pinch of ground cloves
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. In a non-stick pan, lightly toast the dried fruit over medium heat until it becomes slightly golden and fragrant. This step intensifies the flavor of the dried fruit.
2. Remove the dried fruit from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Heat over medium and stir until the sugar dissolves and combines with the honey and spices, forming a sort of spiced caramel.
4. When the caramel has reached a smooth consistency, add the dried fruit back into the pan, making sure it is completely covered with the spiced caramel.
5. Continue to stir the fruit in the caramel for about 1-2 minutes, then pour everything onto a sheet of parchment paper, spreading it out well and letting it cool. Make sure to separate the pieces of pralinated dried fruit before the caramel hardens.
6. Once cooled, the gingerbread pralinated dried fruit can be served or stored in an airtight container.

Curiosity

The tradition of gingerbread is very ancient and especially widespread in Anglo-Saxon countries, where it is traditionally prepared during the Christmas holidays. Pralination, on the other hand, is a process believed to originate in France, but in Italy finds many local variations, often enriched with the addition of honey as in the case of this recipe for a slightly different and distinctive touch.