Sicilian Buccellato

12/30/2024

The Buccellato is an ancient baked dessert traditionally enjoyed during the Christmas season across Sicily. Its name originates from the Latin word "buccellatum", which referred to a type of ring-shaped bread with decorative cuts along its edges. In some parts of the island, the buccellato is also known as cudduredda, a Greek-derived term meaning "little crown".

This dessert is a ring of buttery shortcrust pastry, lavishly adorned with candied fruit and filled with a rich mixture of dried figs, raisins, almonds, orange peel, and other types of dried fruit.

Even more popular than the buccellato, perhaps, are the buccellatini. These small cookies, made with the same process and ingredients as the buccellato, are distinguished by their petite and intricate shapes, often carved into spirals or crescents. The decorations also set them apart: buccellatini are typically dusted with powdered sugar, coated with sugar glaze, or embellished with colorful sprinkles and sugar pearls, making them a festive and delightful treat.

Here's the recipe from our Cesarina Francesca from Palermo.

Sicilian Buccellato

A beloved Sicilian dessert, perfect for the holiday season

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time3h

Cooking time30m

Servings12

€

CostHigh

Ingredients

1 kg 00 flour
300 g sugar
300 g lard
3 eggs
100 ml milk
1 tablespoon honey
10 g baking ammonia
1 packet vanilla powder
A pinch of salt
1 packet baking powder
1 kg dried figs
500 g mandarin or orange marmalade
300 g dark chocolate
200 g toasted almonds, chopped
200 g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
100 g honey
200 g grated orange peel
200 g pistachios, chopped
200 g raisins
1 glass Marsala wine
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
6 small cups of coffee
Powdered sugar, as needed

Method

Mix the lard, sugar, salt, and vanilla powder until well combined. Gradually add the milk and honey, then incorporate the flour, eggs, baking powder, and baking ammonia into the mixture.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Soak the dried figs in coffee and the raisins in Marsala wine overnight.
Coarsely chop the figs and place them in a pot along with the coffee, Marsala wine, and all the other filling ingredients, except for the chocolate.
Stir the mixture thoroughly and cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes.
Let the filling cool completely, then mix in the coarsely chopped chocolate.
Roll out the shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin to create a thin sheet.
Cut the pastry into rectangles, and place a “log” of filling in the center of each rectangle.
Fold the pastry over the filling, sealing the edges tightly with your fingers.
Cut the sealed logs into 8 cm (3-inch) pieces.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.
Decorate as desired and serve!