|
| Panforte
Panforte, which means "strong bread", is a dense, delicious nut and fruit cake that is a Tuscan specialty of Siena.
Panforte is made with candied and dry fruits, especially  oranges and lemons, and almonds and honey. It's coated with a thin, white, edible wafer and topped with confectioners' sugar. Italians have enjoyed its rich fruit and nut flavor for centuries. Unlike bland, dry fruitcakes, panforte is moist and wonderfully chewy. Various versions of panforte are sold in Italy, including panforte nero, which is covered in chocolate.
Serving suggestions:
Panforte is thinly sliced and eaten at the end of a meal. It is traditionally served with a glass of Vin Santo, a fortified dessert wine from Tuscany.
History:
According to one medieval legend, the first panforte was prepared by a nun, Sister Leta, who lived in the Convent of the Holy Trinity and Saint Ambrose in Montecellesi, near Fontebecci. One day, having extra flour, spices, almonds and candied fruits left over, she decided to use them to prepare food for the poor. The resulting cake was called panpepato ("pepper spiced bread"), now the terms panforte and panpepato are interchangeable in Italy.
However, there is historic evidence that the origin of panforte dates back to the 13th century. A document kept in the Siena Archives, dated 7 February 1205, reports that the farmers for the Convent in Montecellesi were required to bring the Sisters - as a tribute - a quantity of "Panes pepatos et melatos". The fame of panforte spread beyond Siena and by the Renaissance this delicacy was documented as being part of many sumptuous banquets given by rich Lords in every part of Italy.
Medieval Italian recipe books note that the first panpepato was made with flour, nuts, almonds, honey and ginger. Exotic spices, such as pepper, carnation and cinnamon, were added in the 12th century. According to an 18th century recipe there were fifteen ingredients in panforte: honey, sugar, flour, nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, candied melon, candied citron-peel, candied orange, candied lemon-peel, cinnamon, bark, corianders, aromatic pepper, cloves.
Makers:
CORSINI
SAPORI DI SIENA
|
|  | Pastiglie
Pastiglie are any type of sugar or licorice lozenges or small candies.
MakerS:
AMARELLI
LEONE |
| Ricciarelli
Ricciarelli, "curly," are soft oval-shaped cookies from Siena, created back in the Middle Ages. Made with ground almonds, sugar, honey and egg whites and are then topped with a confectioners' sugar or chocolate, they are associated with the feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, but are eaten all year long.
Ricciarelli are one of the oldest Italian recipes, and are documented as being served on numerous important historical occasions, including the wedding banquet of Catherine Sforza when she married Jerome Riario in 1447, and during Venice's famed falconry contest in 1573.
Serving suggestions:
Ricciarelli are eaten at the end of a meal, served with a glass of dessert wine or a cup of coffee.
| 
Makers:
CORSINI
SAPORI DI SIENA |
|
Makers:
BALOCCO
BISTEFANI
MONTEBOVI
VICENZI
Savoiardi recipes:
Chocolate Tiramisù
Traditional Tiramisù
Speedy Tiramisù
| Savoiardi--ladyfingers
Savoiardi were first created in the Piedmont region in the early Renaissance, 1348, for Italian royal Savoia family, which gives them their name. Savoiardi recipes are cited in several historic Italian cookbooks including Bartolomeo Stefani's 1662 book Art of Good Cooking.
In Italy today, savoiardi are still made faithfully respecting the traditional recipe: fresh eggs (about a quarter of the total weight) are beaten with sugar until they are light and airy. Then flour, and vanilla or lemon are added. The dough is spread on a baking pan, sprinkled with sugar and baked for about twelve minutes. This delicious cookie is so important to Italians that the recipe is regulated and the name protected.
Serving suggestions:
Savoiardi are traditionally dipped in hot chocolate or coffee. Because Italian-made savoiardi so nicely soak up liquid, they are a key ingredient in hundreds of desserts including charlottes and puddings and, of course, tiramisù.
Thanks to the simple ingredients used and complete absence of added fat, savoiardi are very light and easy to digest. Savoiardi are great for breakfast, dunked in milk, coffee, cappuccino or hot chocolate.
|
| Semifreddo
Semifreddo, "semi-frozen," is a frozen custard or mousse that, unlike icecream, remains semi-soft in the freezer.
|  |
|  | Sfogliatelle
Sfogliatelle, "little sheets," are flaky pastry sometimes filled with custard or sweetened ricotta. They can come in a rectangular shape, or the shape of a little fan, and are sometimes glazed on the surface.
Serving suggestions:
These are an ideal treat with a cup of coffee at the end of dinner.
Maker:
FRESYSTEM |
| Tiramisù
Tiramisù may be one of Italy's most famous desserts. The name tiramisù (which literally means "boosts me up") refers to the energy-rich ingredients: coffee, sugar, and cocoa.
This delicious dessert seems to have been invented in Treviso, a beautiful old town in Veneto. Nothing sure is known about its origin; but, according to the confidential tale made to a friend by the founder of the famous Toula restaurants' chain, a cake prepared with the very same ingredients was offered to the clients - and the girls - of "pleasure houses" in Veneto. In the 1960's the cake first made its appearance in upscale restaurants, and now is a must on nearly all dessert lists.
The original recipe is very simple and made of few basic ingredients: savoiardi, coffee, eggs, sugar and cocoa powder.
|
|
| 
| Torrone
A nougat confection made of honey, sugar, egg whites and nuts. There are many variations on the torrone throughout Italy. Each region adds its own local ingredients, such as pistachio nuts, chocolate, liqueurs or candied fruits.
There are many varieties of Italian torrone: hard or soft, large or small. It even comes in small bite-sized pieces called torroncini. There are also chocolate-covered varieties. Besides the Cremona torrone, other classic versions include the Piedmontese torrone made in Alba, Mombercelli, Novi Ligure, Asti and Cuneo provinces. Well-known torrone also come from Siena, Benevento, Abruzzi and Calabria. Sicily's version is particularly famous.
History
In his book, De re culinaria, Apicius speaks of a sweet, which might well be the precursor of modern nougat, prepared with honey, almonds, and egg white. This sweet became famous and enjoyed great success from the Middle Age onwards.
Torrone was one of the traditional sweets served at Christmas and at other special occassions. In the past, as today, white torrone was served at weddings, and indeed the menu for the wedding banquet for Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza, celebrated in Cremona in 1441, lists a sweet made of almonds, honey, and whites of eggs among the many delicacies on offer. It was a reproduction of the municipal tower, the so-called Torrione. According to tradition, the name "torrone" comes from that tower.
|
| Torta
Torta is the general name for cake such as Tuscany's torta della nonna (Grandma's Cake) and torta caprese from Campania's Island of Capri.
In recent years, the modern Italian confectionery industry has conceived the winning idea of producing "torte" and preserving their freshness unaltered from the moment they come off the production line to the moment they are delivered to the user, due to the maintenance of a constant temperature of 68 degrees F (20°C). This innovative product was first made for the restaurants, but due to its success it is now available also for home consumption.
|
 |
>>SWEETS: Amaretti - Liquirizia
|
