I Cavallucci, a Tuscan treat made with walnuts, candied fruit, and spices
- Carbohydrate 20.28 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.13 g
- Fiber 0.493999993801117 g
- Protein 2.756 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0208 g
- Serving Size 1 1 cavallucci (61g)
- Sodium 0.78 mg
- Sugar 19.7860000061989 g
- Trans Fat 0.0364 g
- Calories 96 calories
Step-by-step
- Preriscalda il forno a 180°C.
- In una ciotola grande spezzetta le noci grossolanamente ed aggiungi i canditi a cubetti, lo zucchero a velo, le spezie e l’ammoniaca: mescola il tutto con le mani. Aggiungi la farina e mescola ancora.
- In un tegame a parte sul fuoco aggiungi zucchero e acqua e fai sciogliere lo zucchero: attenzione a che non caramelli, altrimenti i cavallucci verranno troppo duri.
- Quando lo zucchero si è sciolto, versa lo sciroppo sugli altri ingredienti e amalgama il tutto aiutandoti con un mestolo in legno.
- Su una spianatoia ben infarinata forma con le mani dei salsicciotti di circa 5 cm di diametro e tagliali a rondelle, ne ricaverai circa 25.
- Forma delle palline, infarinale bene, schiacciale con una ditata nel centro e mettile abbastanza distanziati in una teglia foderata di carta da forno.
- Cuoci i cavallucci per non più di 15 minuti in forno caldo e lasciali freddare completamente prima di mangiarli.
- Si conservano per diversi giorni ben chiusi in un contenitore ermetico o in una scatola di latta.
Baking traditional Tuscan cavallucci often fails because home cooks allow the sugar syrup to reach a rolling boil that turns amber, resulting in hard, tooth-breaking cookies instead of the characteristic dense yet yielding crumb. Achieving the correct interior structure requires careful management of the sugar-to-water thermal threshold, dissolving the crystals completely without crossing into caramelization. When working with walnuts and candied fruit, freshness dictates the final oil balance and moisture retention within the dough matrix.
Fresh Versus Preserved Components in Spiced Confectionery
Incorporating freshly shelled walnuts introduces natural oils that interact differently with dry flour than older, desiccated nuts found at the back of the pantry. Fresh walnut halves should be broken down manually into coarse pieces rather than processed into a fine meal, preserving pockets of texture throughout the 65-gram flour mass. Similarly, freshly diced candied fruit retains pliable moisture that distributes evenly when combined with the spice blend of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and anise. Old candied fruit becomes rigid, drawing hydration away from the 170 grams of water and altering the final spread of the dough rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Monitor the sugar syrup closely on the stovetop to prevent caramelization before combining it with the 650 grams of flour.
- Bake the shaped rounds at 180 degrees Celsius for no longer than 15 minutes to avoid drying out the interior.
- Allow the biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring them to an airtight container or tin for storage.
