Recipe for Pampepato

Christmas. Few words arouse such emotion! It’s hardly surprising, given the countless reasons that go into making this time of year so special and the countless delicacies there are to indulge in.

Some of these “delicious specialties” are less well known than others but are, nevertheless, equally fascinating and rich in history. A good example is Pampepato, a dessert first created in Ferrara in the middle of the Renaissance, which differs greatly from other homonymous sweets found the length and breadth of Italy, due to the important addition of chocolate and another very precious ingredient, time.

Each Ferrarese family prepares their own version, here you can find the original recipe from the historic Casari Bakery.

Ingredients for the dough

• 550 g Scelte di Campo type “0” Nazionale flour 
• 450 g Quince Mostarda 
• 300 g Sugar 
• 300 g Mixed candied peel 
• 200 g Almonds 
• 200 g Sultanas
• 80 g Butter
• 100 g Sweetened cocoa powder
• 40 g Bitter cocoa powder
• 24 g Baking powder
• 10 g Mixed spices (cinnamon and cloves) 
• 1 small cup Coffee

Ingredients for the coating

• 500 g Dark chocolate

Method

• Mix together all the ingredients.
• Form into flattened dome-shaped pieces weighing 400 g, with a diameter of approximately 10 cm and a height of 5 cm.
• Bake in a static oven at 180 °C for approximately 30 minutes.
• Once removed from the oven and cooled, place the Pampepati on wooden boards, cover them with a cotton cloth and leave them at room temperature for 8 days.
• After this period, proceed with the coating by melting the dark chocolate in a bain-marie, and brushing it over the entire surface of the Pampepati.
• Place the glazed Pampepati on a baking tray and wait for the coating to solidify completely.
• After 24 hours the Pampepati are ready to enjoy or can be placed in nylon bags in which they can be kept for several weeks.

Be careful how you cut them! Never in wedges, but in thin crossways slices.