Sweet Christmas

Sweet Christmas

There are two famous Italian Christmas sweets, “panettone” and “pandoro”. The first one was maybe born at the Sforza’s court, the noble family of Milan during the Renaissance period; according to the legend the chef who was charged with making this Christmas sweet burnt it and his assistant called Toni made another one by using the remaining pieces and called that sweet “pan di Toni”. It was then given the name “panettone” and it is must that has been lasting for centuries: a disciplinary rule has been protecting it and its ingredients since 2005.

On the other hand, the pandoro comes from the Renaissance Republic of Venice when the rich families used to appreciate a sweet called “pan de oro” since it was covered with golden leaves. The origins of “Nadalin” seam more certain, it was a sweet shaped as a star that was made on Christmas time in the area of Verona. Besides these two “historical” Christmas sweets, there is a big production of Italian sweets such as: the Christmas chops, the Bisciola from Valtellina that is considered the pandoro of Lombardy, the Zelten from Trentino Alto Adige, the Pandolce from Liguria made of candied pumpkin, pistachios and pine nuts, the Panspeziale or Certosino with chocolate and milk and candied fruit (mostarda) from Bologna - Emilia Romagna, the Gubana, shaped as a snail from Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Bostrengo from Marche and the Panpepato from Umbria, the Parrozzo from Abruzzo, the Ricciarelli and the Panforte from Tuscany, covered with almonds and stuffed with candied oranges and cedars, the Pangiallo from Lazio with saffron and ricotta, the Cartellate from Puglia, the Zeppole from Campania, the Buccellati from Sicily and the Sebadas from Sardinia with the corbezzolo honey.

These are just the most famous; from every Italian corner they bake delicacies that show the Italian imagination and mastery. All tastes will be met, that’s for sure..

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