The Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata in Parma and beyond has roots dating back to the 1500s, with the state archive in Parma preserving 2 manuscripts of the recipes from that period.
Like any traditional recipe, there are many variations tied to local and family traditions.
A shortcrust pastry shell generously dusted with powdered sugar encases a rich filling of dried fruits, white wine, honey, and many spices prepared well in advance.
This allows these ingredients to blend, and then after a few days, the shortcrust pastry is prepared and baked in the oven.
Ideally, you would let the Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata rest for a few days before slicing and enjoying it, but who can resist?
Spongata (or supungata) is a traditional recipe from Emilia Romagna that is now available year-round in pastry shops.
If you’re looking for Christmas sweets to impress everyone at home, here are some delightful ideas, and then right after the photo, we’ll discover how to prepare the Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata!!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata
- 3.5 oz dry biscuits
- 1.75 oz peeled almonds
- 1.75 oz whole skinned hazelnuts
- 1.75 oz walnut kernels
- 1.4 oz pine nuts
- 1.75 oz raisins
- 3.5 oz sugar
- 7 oz honey
- 3.4 fl oz white wine
- 2.1 oz candied fruit
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- Half teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 4.2 oz sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3.5 oz butter
- 1.4 fl oz white wine
- 1.75 fl oz milk
Tools
- 1 Chopper
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Baking Pan for tarts
Preparation of Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata
First of all, to prepare the Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata, you can prepare the filling 3 or 4 days in advance.
With the help of a chopper or a rolling pin, reduce the dry biscuits to powder. There are variations where rusks or even toasted breadcrumbs in a pan are used.
Set aside for a moment.
Meanwhile, soak the raisins in warm water for at least 1 hour.
Chop the nuts except for the pine nuts with the sugar.
In a small saucepan, bring the white wine and honey to a boil for 2 or 3 minutes until dissolved.
Turn off the heat and remove the saucepan.
Add the powdered biscuits, powdered nuts, squeezed raisins, and chopped candied fruit to the saucepan.
Also add the pine nuts and spices and mix very well to blend.
Cover the saucepan and let it rest for at least 1 day, ideally 3 or 4, moving the saucepan to the refrigerator once at room temperature.
After the filling has rested for a few days, prepare the shortcrust pastry.
Quickly work the cold butter from the fridge, cut into pieces, with the sugar in a bowl or mixer.
Sift the flour with a pinch of salt and add it to the butter in batches, alternating with the white wine.
Finally, add the milk, turn the mixture onto the work surface, and form a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Wrap it in cling film and let it rest for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
After the resting time, preheat the oven to static mode at 356°F.
Take the dough from the fridge and roll it out, lightly flouring, into 2 disks of 1/8 inch thick and 9.5 inches each.
Cover a pan larger than the pastry disks with shortcrust pastry, arrange the first disk, cover with the filling leaving 1/2 inch from the edge free.
Cover with the second disk and press the edges well to adhere properly to prevent the Christmas Spongata from opening during baking.
Bake for 35/40 minutes and let it rest for a few hours before removing it from the pan, place it on a rack, and let the Christmas Spongata rest for at least 1 day.
Generously dust with powdered sugar before serving.
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How to store the Traditional Christmas Sweet Spongata
It can be stored under a glass dome for 7 days.
