Since the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Tuscany has been the home for a host of sweets made from local ingredients. Almonds, are a common ingredient in most Italian cookies, especially those originating from the Siena province, such as cantucci, ricciarelli and copate.
Nuts, honey and candied orange peels are the ingredients of cavallucci; while pinenuts are used in two peasants' cakes, the pinolata and the castagnaccio, which is made with chestnut flour from the chestnut groves on the Monte Amiata.In The Divine Comedy, Dante refers to Niccolò Salimbeni, a native of Siena, who brought back "honeyed and peppered breads" from one of his trips to the Orient. It is from that bread, Panforte, that the traditional Tuscan Christmas treat is said to have developed.
Tuscany has many famous sweets. Some of them, such as panforte, were created back in the Renaissance.
Sweets
Cantucci
Cavalucci
Panforte
Ricciarelli
Torta della Nonna
Zuccotto
Dessert Wines
Aleatico dell'Elba
Vin Santo di Chianti DOC
Vin Santo di Montelpulciano DOC
Moscadello di Montalcino DOC
DOP and IGP products
Chestnut flour of Garfagnana: Farina di Neccio della Garfagnana IGP
Chestnuts of Monte Amiata: Castagna del Monte Amiata IGP
Chestnuts of Mugello: Marrone del Mugello IGP
Honey from Lunigiana: Miele della Lunigiana DOP
Makers
Corsini Biscotti
Ghiott
Sapori di Siena