Bones of the Dead or Scardellini, in Sicily, represent the spicy magic of the Day of the Dead.
Indeed, the Day of the Dead on November 2nd is not complete without the legendary Bones of the Dead or Scardellini cookies, a dessert that embodies history and tradition.
These cookies, with their distinctive and unmistakable appearance, owe their unique taste to a blend of spices, including the aromatic cloves and cinnamon.
Follow our original recipe to recreate the “magic” of baking, which separates the flour from the sugar, leaving you with a dark caramelized base and a white, crumbly crust. Prepare to rediscover an ancient taste that celebrates memory.
I will show you how to prepare the Bones of the Dead or Scardellini traditionally or with the Thermomix.
Measured for you:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 1 Day 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Day of the Dead
- Energy 116.99 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.30 (g) of which sugars 16.75 (g)
- Proteins 1.82 (g)
- Fat 0.17 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.39 (g)
- Sodium 1.08 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 33 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Let’s go shopping
- 4 cups cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup cups water
- 5 ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Bones of the Dead or Scardellini
Tools
What we need to prepare
- 1 Kneading board
- 1 Bowl or the Thermomix
- 1 Pot or the Thermomix
- 1 Fork
- 1 Knife
- 1 Parchment paper
Steps
Let’s head to the kitchen to prepare
With the traditional recipe: In a pot, pour the water, cloves, and sugar, and….
…. bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
When the sugar has completely liquefied, turn off the heat and remove the cloves.
Mix the cinnamon into the flour, and pour it into the syrup obtained with the cloves.Now it’s time to mix well vigorously to avoid lumps.
Once you’ve incorporated everything, the mixture is thicker, so it’s easier to knead with a spatula until you get a mushy dough.
At this point, transfer the dough onto the floured kneading board and try to compact it.
Divide the dough into several pieces for convenience and make cylinders about 3/4 inch in diameter.
Flatten the cylinders with your hands by applying gentle pressure.
Now cut the dough cylinders into pieces about 1 1/4 inches long, keeping the cut slanted
If you want, you can leave the pieces smooth, or with the tines of the fork create lines and thus shape the bones of the dead..
Place the bones of the dead or scardellini on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, well spaced apart, and let rest for 36 hours.
The cookie will take on a whitish hue.
After the resting time, the magic is about to begin: you will notice that the bottom of each cookie is moist while the top is whiter.
Here it is sweating sugar.Bake in a preheated fan oven at 284°F for 15 minutes.
During cooking, the sugar inside the bones of the dead or Scardellini, as it melts, will settle at the bottom of each cookie and create the light/dark contrast. “The magic” here it is….
Let the Bones of the Dead or Scardellini cool in the pan, and then transfer them to a tray.
Here are the Bones of the Dead or Scardellini ready Preparation with the Thermomix
Pour sugar, cloves, and cinnamon into the Thermomix, pulverize for 30 sec. speed 10
Add the water and set 3 min. 212°F speed 4 with the basket in place of the measuring cap.
Add the flour for 30 sec. speed 4
From here on, follow the instructions from step 4 onwards
Storage
Bones of the Dead or Scardellini can be stored in a tin box or a container with a lid for up to 1 month.
History and Legend
Sicilian tradition holds that on the night between November 1st and 2nd (Day of the Dead), the deceased visit the homes of their living relatives to leave typical sweets and gifts for the well-behaved children.
A specific custom, prevalent in some areas, is to give new shoes (sometimes as a seasonal change) filled with festival sweets. These sweets include the famous “Sugar Puppets,” “Martorana Fruit,” and cookies like “Bones of the Dead” or “Tetù,” along with other gifts and toys. This practice helps to exorcise the fear of death and keep the connection to ancestors alive through the children’s joy.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Bones of the Dead or Scardellini
Bones of the Dead or Scardellini
