Easter Donuts

04/02/2025

The Easter holidays are now approaching, and there is nothing better than preparing a table that tells a story of tradition and authentic flavors for the occasion. A perfect opportunity to gather with loved ones, whether family or close friends, and share dishes that range from classic recipes to more creative ones. Starting today and for the next few weeks, we will share a series of recipes dedicated to the Easter holidays, often retrieved from old family cookbooks, to celebrate this special time of year.

Today, we present the Easter Donuts from our Cesarina Barbara, who lives in Montepulciano, a historic medieval village perched on the hills in the province of Siena, adorned with towers and bell towers, offering a spectacular view of the Tuscan countryside. Barbara serves simple specialties with unforgettable flavors on her ancient Tuscan table, its wooden boards carved by time and always dressed for the occasion.

Cesarina Barbara from Montepulciano

“The recipe I’ve decided to share for this Easter holiday is that of the donuts, typical Easter sweets from the Sienese Valdichiana, which can be found in small shops or village bakeries, rarely in restaurants. It is closely tied to my family, as Emilia, my paternal grandmother, spent her life making donuts for the whole village. I never had the chance to meet her, but hearing my father’s stories makes me feel as though I’ve always made them with her”.

Tuscan Easter Donuts

The typical Tuscan donuts prepared for the Easter period

DifficultyEasy

Cooking time15m

Servings15

€

CostLow

Ingredients

750 g of soft wheat flour type 1
250 g of potato starch
16 g of baking powder
20 g of ammonium bicarbonate for baking
6 eggs
450 g of granulated sugar
50 g of powdered sugar
Sugar crystals
One lemon, one orange, one vanilla pod
Milk
100 ml of Vin Santo (or rosolio)
125 g of butter
45 ml of extra virgin olive oil

Method

To start, melt the butter in a double boiler and let it cool. Bring some milk to a boil with the vanilla pod, then let it return to room temperature after removing the pod.
Meanwhile, whisk five eggs with the granulated sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and airy. Add the grated zest of the citrus fruits, sifted powdered sugar, Vin Santo, melted butter, oil, and lastly, the baking powder.
Dissolve the ammonium bicarbonate in the milk flavored with vanilla and add it to the mixture, stirring gently from the bottom up.
Sift together the flour and potato starch.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the mixture, as you may not need all of it (it depends on the size of the eggs). The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
Place parchment paper in a baking tray, lightly oil your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers, and take a portion of dough about the size of an orange.
With your finger, make a hole in the center and quickly rotate the dough around it until you form a donut about 15-20 cm in diameter.
Slightly flatten it with your fingers, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sugar crystals. Continue until all the dough is used up.
Let the donuts rest for about 10 minutes, then bake them in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes. Let them cool and serve.