Tuscany is a land of culture, tradition and … sweetness

Every town, every village and often every district passes down its own secret in the kitchen, and leading the way in this regard are the desserts that enrich the already inviting food and wine offerings of this wonderful land.

Today we want to direct your gaze to some of the most famous confectionary products of our gastronomic tradition with the ambition to contribute in our own small way to increasing their knowledge which, we are sure, will be followed by the overwhelming desire to taste their flavors.

Cantuccio is one of the typical sweets whose origin is claimed by many major Tuscan cities from Prato to Siena, to name the best known, and is traced back to around the 16th century. For some, the name derives from “cantellus,” which in Latin means “piece or slice of bread,” or a salted galette that Roman soldiers had during war. For others, the term cantuccio originates from “canto,” corner, small part referring to the cut size. These exquisite cookies are found since the second half of the 1500s at the Medici court it seems still in the version without almonds.

About a century later the Accademia della Crusca came up with the first definition of “cantuccio” referred to as a “sliced cookie, made of flour, with sugar and egg white.” It was not until the end of the 19th century, in the version most widely used today with almonds, that cantucci began to be produced throughout the region, which in 2016 obtained the recognition of Protected Geographical Indication, PGI referring to the entire administrative territory.

Tuscan tradition dictates that the cantuccio is eaten by “dunking” it in Vinsanto, a sweet wine typical of the area.

Ricciarelli di Siena, whose history is full of a fascination bordering on legend, are sweets that have always been prepared in Siena and the surrounding area. Their origin is believed to be closely related to marzipan and the Orient from which it arrived in the courts of Europe starting in the 25th century. But how did marzipan set foot in the city of the Palio? According to the most accredited historical sources, marzipan had been brought to Siena as it was throughout Europe from the Burmese city of Martapan, hence the origin of the name; according to others, the name of this sweet would derive from the typical containers in which it was stored in Arabic called “mauthban.”

Whatever the origin of marzipan’s name you may be wondering what this has to do with Ricciarelli. Into our tale comes the figure of Ricciardetto Della Gherardesca who, according to legend, brought these sweets, shaped “curled” like a sultan’s shoes, to Siena on his return from the Crusades. The recipe for these sweets was handed down over the years, indeed over the centuries, enriched according to the “new” and successful Sienese version with sugar coating as was the case with Panforte.

According to popular tradition, the first step that led “to the invention” of Copate must be attributed to the nuns of Montecelso, already known for the birth of Panpepato. These ingenious sisters, having heard that their “colleagues” from the Convent of San Baronto in Lamporecchio (we are still in Tuscany of course…) were producing religious wafers making them softer and more pleasant with the addition of small doses of honey, inspired by the Abbess reworked the recipe by pairing two wafers held together by a thin layer of honey. These sweets, in the early days known as “nebulae,” immediately deserved for their goodness a place of honor on feast days.

Copatas in the version known and appreciated today were finally arrived at with the enlightened intervention of a monk from the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, who mixed together sugar, honey and toasted and ground walnut kernels, finally cooking everything over moderate heat. Once cooled, the mixture, which had become dark from caramelization, was spread between two wafers. In later versions cocoa was added and in more recent times egg yolks whipped to make the mixture almost white.

About Panforte or Torta di Siena one could spill rivers of ink. Consumed especially at Christmas time, that irresistible mixture of almonds, honey and spices is a real treat for Italians and all those who are lucky enough to taste it. It is almost certainly the best known and oldest of the spiced breads, and regarding its origin, to be located in the late Middle Ages, it is said that the first example of panforte was produced by Berta, a nun who made a focaccia by kneading honey, flour and candied fruit, along with a wide variety of spices including ginger, cinnamon and the nutmeg.

Since the Middle Ages the recipe for panforte has not undergone major changes, and among the best-known and most popular variants are the white and chocolate versions. The former, characterized by the icing sugar finish, was first prepared in honor of Queen Margaret of Savoy who came to Siena in 1879 for the Palio, and hence the cake is also called Panforte Margherita.

The most interesting pairing to discover all the flavors is with blue cheeses-it will surprise you!

And now you just have to dive into the Tuscan sweetness!