Piacenza Bread of the Dead, an ancient recipe not to be forgotten. It’s a sweet “bread”, although it looks more like a cookie. Traditionally, it was prepared and served as refreshment for the deceased, who return from the afterlife on the night between November 1st and 2nd. Therefore, Halloween is not only celebrated in America, but we also have well-rooted traditions, even if not so famous. The Bread of the Dead is a very widespread custom in the Po Valley, especially in the Lombardy area, but also in some parts of Emilia and Tuscany. The ingredients are dry biscuits, dried fruit: almonds, figs, raisins, sweet white wine, no butter is used, they have a rustic appearance, and are perfect for dunking. Try them!
Here are some other Piacenza recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 20 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 145.27 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.02 (g) of which sugars 12.84 (g)
- Proteins 3.16 (g)
- Fat 2.47 (g) of which saturated 0.21 (g)of which unsaturated 1.21 (g)
- Fibers 1.56 (g)
- Sodium 66.48 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 41 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
- 9 oz dry biscuits
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup raisins (sultanas)
- 1/3 cup dried figs
- 1/2 cup almonds (toasted)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 5.5 oz egg whites
- 3 fl oz rum
- 5 fl oz white wine (sweet)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Tools
- Bowl HEYNNA® Set of 4 Kitchen Bowls / Stainless Steel Kitchen Bowls / Set of Salad Bowl Containers / Mixing Bowl Set / Stainless Steel Salad Bowl / Kitchen Bowl Set – From 2.0 to 4.5L
Steps
Start by soaking the raisins in a cup with rum for about 15 minutes. Toast the almonds in the oven at 250°F for 5 minutes, then chop them with a knife. Chop the dried figs into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Set aside
In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Crumble the biscuits with a cutter. Take a large bowl and combine all the prepared ingredients, always mixing, adding the egg whites and white wine, knead by hand energetically
Once ready, divide the dough into two equal-sized logs, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then cut the logs into regular slices, about a quarter of an inch thick. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake at 350°F in a static oven for about 20 minutes. Let cool and serve, sprinkling the cookies with powdered sugar
The bread of the dead keeps for several days if stored in an airtight container, like a cookie jar.
