D - Dolce

Dolce ... sweets! And what better time than the holiday season to enjoy some special Italian desserts and sweets?

First we'll sample a crisp fresh CANNOLI, a pastry filled with a creamy ricotta mixture and drizzled with chocolate.

I did not make this tasty dessert - we brought home a carry-out box from our local Italian restaurant.

 

Next I will share PANFORTE.  This is a dense "fruitcake" type confection that's heavy on the orange peel and spices.  It wouldn't necessarily appeal to everyone, but it is a traditional Italian holiday treat - it has kind of a "Middle Ages" flavor.   It can commonly be found in import shops and Italian delicatessens here in the United States, but it's not difficult to make at home.  The King Arthur Flour recipe gives satisfactory results, although I do add 1 cup of raisins and more spices than their recipe specifies when I make it. 

 

 

Some other very popular Italian holiday sweets include 

PANETTONE, a soft delicate yeast bread; 

TORRONE, a nougat candy sprinkled with

whole almonds; and 

AMARETTI, small crunchy almond-flavored cookies.

 

And on the large tray I've arranged a ring of

GINGER SPICE BISCOTTI. 

Biscotti cookies are simple to make, and are perfect for holiday gift-giving.

 

GINGER SPICE BISCOTTI

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

  

Preheat oven to 350*

Combine butter and sugars until creamy.

Beat in eggs.

Add dry ingredients and blend well.

Gently stir in almonds and ginger.

Divide dough in half and form each half into a log about 3 inches wide by 1 inch high by 10 inches long.

Place logs on cookie sheet that's been prepared with nonstick spray.
Bake about 45 minutes, until firm and just beginning to turn golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool to the touch.

Reduce oven temperature to 300*.

Cut each log crosswise into 1/2 inch slices using a serrated knife.

Place slices back onto cookie sheet and return to oven.

Bake 7 minutes, then turn over and bake 7 minutes more, or until cut sides are dried.

Cool completely on wire rack.
Store in airtight container to maintain texture.
If desired, dust with powder sugar to serve. 

 

About 2 dozen biscotti.

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Discover more delightful D entries HERE
 

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