The Epiphany every party takes away!
... and in Tuscany to celebrate the arrival of the befana you cook the befanini or befanotti, delicious cookies flavored with citrus and rum, decorated with colored sprinkles. To realize them-themed stencils are used in various shapes including, in the more traditional version, the silhouette of the Epiphany.
The tradition of befanini born in Versilia, Viareggio, then also in the area of Lucca, in the past, families exchanged these cupcakes as a gift for the Epiphany instead of the classic sock.
As for all sweets, in the territory of Versilia and Tuscany there are different versions to prepare them, this that we present is the easiest and most used.
Then take your apron on and off with the recipe.
Ingredients
- 500 g flour 00 more for the work surface
- 300 g sugar
- 200 g butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract (or it's ok half a vanilla pod)
- 1 sachet of baking powder for cakes
- the grated rind of one lemon 1 organically grown or at least not treated
- 1 pinch of salt
- 50 ml of anise liqueur or a "soft" liquor of your choice, such as maraschino or rum
- colored sprinkles to decorate to taste.
Preparation
Prepare the dough in a bowl of baby: whip three eggs with sugar and vanilla (or vanilla or extract) until the mixture is foamy and whitish; of course you can help you by using an electric mixer.
Add the melted butter and flour, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. I recommend the butter, let it cool down before you add it to the mixture. When you have a homogeneous and smooth, stir in the liquor you choose, the grated lemon rind and baking powder. Again you can use an electric mixer (or planetary) but mounted with flat hook, specifically for soft dough. Let the dough rest covered, for a half-hour.
Heat oven to 180 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough on a floured surface, work on him and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about one centimeter.
You can then pick the crop most diverse forms: Witches, kittens, guiding lights, Christmas trees, etc.
To do this you can find on the market the appropriate stencils, or cut out the shapes using the wax paper, appoggiatele on dough and cut cookies using a sharp knife. Brush the befanini with the remaining egg, sprinkle with colored codetta and arrange on the baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for about 20-30 minutes until they are golden brown. Be careful not to let them darken too.
Once you are ready, let cool and enjoy!
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