The Roccocò are traditional sweets from Naples, now known well beyond the borders of Campania. Along with susamielli, struffoli, and raffioli, they simply cannot be missing from the dessert buffet set up in every Neapolitan home during the Christmas holidays.
These sweets with their characteristic ring shape, brownish color, and fragrant with pisto, orange, and almonds, date back to 1320 when the nuns of the Real Convent of Maddalena in Naples baked them for the first time.
The version I propose here is my favorite and I like to call it “tooth-breaking”, but in various bakeries in the city, you can also find a softer version.
Now take a moment to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 g baking ammonia
- 1/2 cup water (lukewarm)
- 10 g pisto
- 1 packet vanillin
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 vial orange flavor
- 1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 7 oz almonds (toasted)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Lemon zester
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Brush kitchen
- 1 Metal scraper
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Hand whisk
Steps
Making Roccocò at home is really simple and quick, and will give you great satisfaction with every bite.
First, gather the flour, sugar, and cocoa in a bowl.
Continue by adding the powdered flavors, namely pisto, vanillin, and the grated zest of one orange.
Mix with a hand whisk then add the lukewarm water in which you have dissolved the baking ammonia and a vial of orange flavor.
Mix so that the water is absorbed by the flour.
At this point, also add the almonds that you have toasted for a few minutes in a pan. If you prefer, you can chop them with a knife.
Knead with your hands to incorporate the almonds.
Transfer to a work surface, shape the dough into a homogeneous loaf, then break off pieces of about 2.5 oz.
From each of these pieces, create logs about 8 inches long and close them to form small rings.
Transfer the rings to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the surface with an egg and a yolk beaten together. After the first brushing, wait 5 minutes before proceeding with a second brushing of eggs which will give the characteristic color to the roccocò.
Finally, bake the roccocò in a preheated static oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
For a softer version, remove them from the oven after 15 minutes.
Once out of the oven, let them cool on a wire rack before consuming them 😉.
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