Traditional Tuscan cavallucci spice cookies built from a hot sugar syrup kneaded with walnuts, candied orange peel, and warm spices like clove, anise, and cinnamon. Chewy, perfumed, and unmistakably medieval.
Almond-raisin biscotti, twice-baked until crisp, with toasted almonds, plump raisins and bright orange in two forms. A coffee-dunking Italian cookie made airy by folding in whipped egg whites.
Berlin Bread is a spiced German bar cookie loaded with grated chocolate, almonds, rum, apple preserves, and candied lemon peel. Iced while warm and sliced thin, these fragrant little bars belong on every holiday baking list.
Authentic Sicilian cannoli made from scratch with Marsala wine shells, ricotta filling, candied orange peel, and chocolate. Fried golden and dusted with powdered sugar for a true Italian pastry shop experience.
Homemade spumoni with vanilla bean custard, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, candied orange peel, and slivered almonds frozen in a mold. Classic Italian ice cream dessert without a machine.
The colors the fruits used in the cookies suggest those of the robes worn by the four ordres mendiants, monastic orders that originally lived on charity -- the Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans and Franciscans.
Italian pumpkin pie from the Po Valley with pasta frolla crust, fresh pumpkin filling, ground almonds, cornmeal, and candied orange peel. A rustic Northern Italian autumn dessert.
A traditional mincemeat recipe that actually has meat in it!
Pfeffernuesse are traditional German spice cookies made with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, rum, and candied lemon peel, finished with a white icing.
Pickled pineapple meringue freezes a meringue with pink-peppercorn-pickled pineapple, almonds, and cream, then plates with raspberry sauce and dramatic chocolate spires. Restaurant-style frozen dessert.
Stuffed French toast with crumbled tofu, brandy-soaked raisins, currants, and candied peel. Pan-fried golden in butter. A showstopping weekend brunch that freezes beautifully.
Irish Christmas cake soaked in whiskey with dried fruits, almonds, candied orange peel, and a marzipan coating. A rich, dense celebration cake that starts with an overnight whiskey fruit soak.
Rich West Indian Christmas cake soaked in rum and sherry with dried fruits, warm spices, and browning for deep color. Start the fruit a month ahead for a dense, boozy holiday cake worth the wait.
Cucidati, the traditional Sicilian Christmas fig cookies, with a rich filling of figs, raisins, nuts, chocolate and rum wrapped in tender pastry, shaped into slashed horseshoes and dusted with sugar.
Old-fashioned rhubarb and fig jam, sugared overnight then boiled down with chopped candied peel for a deep, jammy preserve. Yields about 9 pints, perfect for canning season and homemade gifts.
Hot Cross Buns are a classic Easter treat, fragrant with warm spices and studded with juicy raisins. Fresh from the oven, their golden crust, tender crumb, and glossy glaze make them irresistible. This recipe yields soft, fluffy buns that are easy to prepare, perfect for a festive breakfast or afternoon tea. With clear steps and pro tips, you’ll create a batch of 12 buns to share with family and friends.
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