Crispy cookies, fluffy cakes, crunchy bread: baking is an art that brings joy into our lives. Who doesn’t have a favorite sweet or savory snack? We’re sure everyone has their go-to treat!
So, on this World Baking Day, grab that rolling pin, preheat the oven, and get ready to bake something delicious! Whatever you decide to make, it will surely be an unforgettable experience!
If you need an idea, here’s the recipe for Zaletti Veronesi by our Cesarina Michela, who lives right in Verona, the city of lovers par excellence.
"I love making zaletti because they represent my childhood. They were my dad's favorite sweet. The origins of this dessert come from the rural tradition of Verona: they were a way to recycle leftover polenta. The name 'zaletto' comes from their yellow color, which in Veronese dialect is called 'zallo'".
Zaletti Veronesi
Small cakes made with cornmeal, typical of the Venetian rural tradition
DifficultyEasy
Preparation time1h
Cooking time30m
Servings30
€
CostLow
Ingredients
- 1 l whole milk (or oat milk for a vegan version)
- 3 whole eggs
- 200 g cornmeal (bramata)
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g butter (or oil for a vegan version)
- 200 g sugar
- Grated zest of one lemon
- A handful of pine nuts
- 200 g raisins
- 1 packet of baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar for garnish
- Vanilla to taste
Method
- Soak the raisins.
- In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla, sugar, and butter.
- Once it starts boiling, slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking, then add the all-purpose flour. Keep whisking to prevent lumps, then stir with a spoon.
- Cook the mixture for 10 minutes, then let it cool.
- Once cooled, add the beaten eggs, lemon zest, baking powder, pine nuts, and finally the well-drained raisins. Mix everything well.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line baking trays with parchment paper, then scoop out portions of the dough and place them on the tray.
- Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, then dust the Zaletti with powdered sugar.
A Little History on World Baking Day
World Baking Day was created with the goal of spreading the joy of baking worldwide, especially among those who might not have much experience in the kitchen. It was started in 2012 by the food company Dr. Oetker, with the aim of encouraging more people to get involved in baking and discovering how fun it can be to make a cake, cookies, pizza, or a homemade loaf of bread.
It’s incredible that we’ve lived without a baking day for so long, considering that evidence of baking dates back over 14,000 years… proof that humanity simply can’t live without baking delicious treats!
The origins of baking trace back to Jordan, where the first bakers made unleavened bread, which they used to wrap around meat—potentially the first sandwich in history.
By the Middle Ages in England, baking became a commercial activity with specific laws and regulations for the production and sale of bread.
As time passed and technology evolved, refined cakes began to emerge for the upper classes starting in the Middle Ages. During the World Wars, baking underwent a major evolution: in the United States, the arrival of new immigrants and rationing led to increasingly creative recipes, with international flavors such as Italian cannolis and Mexican Tres Leches making their way into the mainstream.
