This year, for the first time, we didn’t hang up stockings for Befana, and Befana didn’t come to our house. 😅 Both of my kids returned to their duties before the end of the holiday season, Flavia to Germany and Fabrizio to Bologna, so yesterday, a day early, I replaced the real stockings with stocking-shaped tarts for Befana, with which we said our goodbyes at breakfast just before they left.

I didn’t plan to write the recipe, I didn’t have time (or the strength, as I’m still battling the seasonal flu) to write it yesterday at the last minute, and I couldn’t make the tarts again to re-photograph them, to eliminate that little flaw I didn’t foresee: the silver sugar pearls melt during baking! 😅 Maybe I should have known that sugar pearls melt! Well, I didn’t! 😁

Luckily, I baked them in the small oven, two at a time due to the size, so at least, the two tarts from the second batch I could make without sugar pearls! I then covered them with a quick water icing before serving them. 😊

They have a very homemade look but are delicious! And they made a good impression on the breakfast table, especially since they were a nice surprise because I made them in secret and baked them while everyone was sleeping – as a proper Befana should do 😂 – and no one expected them.

Writing the recipe now… a bit late to fill the stocking… but why not? I don’t feel like waiting an entire year for Befana to return! 😃 These stocking-shaped tarts for Befana, or in any other shape you like, are so good that you must try them!

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For more tart ideas, check out these recipes: 👇

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Epiphany, All Seasons

Ingredients

1 block oil-based shortcrust pastry
light jam (I used peach)
dark jam (I used cherry)
colored sprinkles
4 teaspoons water glaze

Tools

Rolling Pin
Baking Tray
Parchment Paper

Steps

Prepare the oil-based shortcrust pastry following the recipe.
👉 You can let the dough rest in a cool place for 10-15 minutes, but it’s not essential because it’s a dough that works well if not too cold.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts to make 4 stocking-shaped tarts.
Roll out each portion of dough with the rolling pin.
Cut a stocking shape from each rolled-out piece with the tip of a knife.
👉 To make them all the same, it may be helpful to draw a template on paper; I cut them freehand, so they turned out slightly different from each other.
With the dough scraps, make a cord to use for the edge and for the 2 pieces needed to outline the heel and toe.
Remember also to save a small rectangle of dough to create the stocking cuff.
Place the cord on the edge of the stocking, previously moistened with a thin layer of jam (useful for better adhesion of the cord), leaving only the end of the stocking free for the cuff placement.
Spread the jam.
👉 Jams of two different colors make the contrast between the sock and the toe/heel more visible. I had peach jam and a little cherry jam at home and also used some quince and lemon jam, but of course, you can use any jam you like.
Finish the stocking by adding the rectangle of dough for the cuff.
☝ Let me repeat the note already mentioned in the introduction: don’t be like me 😃 don’t decorate the stocking with sprinkles or silver sugar pearls before baking, because they will melt. Of the 4 tarts I prepared, this is the only pre-bake photo I can show you; I didn’t think I would write the recipe, so they were just four photos for personal use. And believe it or not, the only one I photographed (next photo) I chose because it was the prettiest, unaware of how the sugar pearls would look after baking 😂.
Place the 4 stocking-shaped tarts on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Prepare a little water glaze, just a spoonful of powdered sugar is enough.
After taking the tarts out of the oven, decorate the cuff (and optionally the edge) with a thin layer of glaze.
Finally, sprinkle the sprinkles over the stocking or on the heel and toe as desired.
They are delicious. Oh yes, I’ve already told you! 😂
Happy Befana!