This is a traditional Christmas treat, originating in Italy. Slice the panforte thinly, as you only need a small piece. This keeps really well in an airtight container, if you feel the need to refrigerate it, make sure you take it out for a while before serving it, or it will be difficult to slice.
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Place the nuts on trays and bake for 5 - 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. (keeping them separate is a good idea, since they will most likely cook at different rates.) Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool. Reduce the heat of the oven to 170 C. Line a square baking tin with aluminium foil or rice paper.
Roughly chop the dried fruit, and place in a large sturdy bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, and spices and stir to combine.
Put the sugar and honey into a saucepan, and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat a little, until the mixture rises up and bubbles . Simmer for 1 or 2 minutes at this rate, til the mixture has reached around 115 degrees. (soft ball stage). Remove from heat and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring quickly to combine, then add the nuts.
Press the mixture into the tin, and bake for 20-30 minutes. (The mixture won't rise at all, but the surface will change a little and blister... Overcooking will make it hard, while less cooking time will result in a more chewy soft panforte.)
Cool in tin, then remove and cut into slices on a board.
Feel free to substitute any other dried fruits or nuts that you would like to use. Cashews, pistachios and brazil nuts all work well, as do dried apricots, sultanas and dried prunes.