Cavallucci, typical Tuscan Christmas cookies
Despite their humble appearance—floury, and a bit lumpy—with that first bite of warm spices, rich nuttiness, and sweet candied fruit you’ll forget all about presentation.
Servings 25 cookies
Ingredients
- 650 grams (5 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 350 grams (1 ¾ cups) sugar
- 200 grams (7 oz) shelled walnuts
- 170 ml (¾ cups) water
- 90 grams (3 ⅛ oz) candied citrus peels, diced
- 30 grams (2 tbsp) icing sugar
- 15 grams (1 tbsp) baking ammonia
- 15 grams (1 tbsp) cavallucci spices, a mix of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, anise in equal part
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°/350°F.
- Roughly chop the walnuts and collect them into a bowl. Add the flour, the diced candied peels, the icing sugar, the spices and the baking ammonia. Mix thoroughly.
- In a small saucepan, add the sugar and the water and bring to a simmer to melt the sugar. As soon as the sugar has melted into a clear syrup, remove it from the heat.
- Pour the sugar syrup into the bowl with the other ingredients and mix thoroughly with the help of a wooden spoon. The dough will be dense and thick.
- On a floured surface, shape the dough into 5 cm thick logs, then cut them into pieces. You should get 25 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball, then gently flatten them pressing each ball with your thumb.
- Arrange all the cavallucci in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake them for about 15 minutes. They will be still slightly soft to the touch. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down completely.
- You can keep the cavallucci for several days closed in a tin or an airtight container.
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