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July 04 - July 11, 2004 |
The sweet taste of Natale
Traditional Christmas desserts are made to suit all tastes.
By Rita Simonetta
Originally Published: 2003-12-14
Italy is a country famous for giving the world sweet delicacies such as tiramisu and biscotti. At Christmas time, that list grows to include a slew of desserts created to celebrate the season.
Torrone is a traditional Italian candy served during the holidays. It's a handy treat to have when unexpected visitors arrive. North American Italian bakeries and grocers are always stocked with this seasonal candy, but if you want to give it your own particular touch, you can try your hand at preparing it. All it takes is rice paper, honey, sugar, water, blanched almonds, hazelnuts, candied orange peel, and grated lemon zest.
Warm up the honey in a double boiler for five minutes. Beat the egg whites to the point that they reach soft peaks. Then fold the eggs into the honey in a separate pan, mix the sugar and water and bring ingredients to a boil. Do not stir. The mixture should turn caramel in colour. Mix this into the honey. Cool until slightly thick and then add in the remaining ingredients. Line three 6x8 pans with rice paper. Divide the mixture among the pans. Cover with rice paper and let set for 20 minutes.
Other important items for the Menu di Natale are struffoli. This Neapolitan honey pastry originated in convents centuries ago when nuns created special dishes to mark important religious events. These delicacies were then presented to noble families in the nearby towns where the convents were situated.
Cenci requires a skilled hand, but when made just right, they resemble knots. Cenci, which means "rags," has many aliases throughout Italy since they are made in different regions of the country. A combination of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, brandy, and salt, cenci make a lovely addition on a serving tray.
Then there is Cicerata, which is so named because the bits of dough look like chickpeas. This dessert gets a helping hand from more than a dozen ingredients, including anise liqueur, slivered almonds, candied fruit, honey, and oranges.
The finished product is topped with slivered almonds, candied fruit, and a sauce made from orange juice, honey and julienned orange zest.
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