Bread of the Dead
Pane dei Morti
Compact and spicy Lombard dessert, enriched with cocoa, chocolate, dried fruit, candied fruit And raisins.
Bread of the Dead is a Lombard dessert with a compact consistency, prepared to commemorate the dead and traditionally associated with November 2nd. Its dense structure combines the richness of almonds, pine nuts, candied fruit and of theraisins with deep notes of cocoa and chocolate. Cinnamon and nutmeg add a warm flavor profile, while the dry white wine helps bind the dough together with the honey. Baking transforms the mixture in elongated loaves, firm and dry on the outside, to be completed with a sprinkling of powdered sugarIn Lombardy, this preparation is left on the table the evening before, with the intention of inviting the spirits of the deceased to return to their families.
Instructions
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7 steps · natural Italian voice
Soak it upraisins
Put theraisins In a bowl, cover it with water and let it soak for a few hours. Once it's well rehydrated, carefully drain it and let it drain, so the dough doesn't absorb excess moisture and maintains a firm consistency.
Prepare the dry ingredients
Collect the flour in a bowl, raw cane sugar, cocoa, coarsely chopped almonds, pine nuts, candied fruit of cedar and orange and theraisins Drained. Stir to evenly distribute the dried and candied fruit, avoiding concentrating them in one part of the mixture.
Add flavorings and chocolate
Combine the crumbled sweet chocolate and honey, then finish with cinnamon and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Mix the ingredients in the bowl until smooth, with the cocoa and spices evenly distributed.
Knead with the wine
Reverse the mixture Place the dough on a table and knead it, gradually adding the dry white wine. Knead for a few minutes, carefully adjusting the amount of liquid added: the dough should be compact, firm, and homogeneous, firm enough to be shaped without collapsing.
Shape the loaves
Divide the dough and shape it into elongated loaves, maintaining a regular shape. Arrange them in a baking pan covered with parchment paper and space them apart enough so that they can cook without sticking together.
Bake in the oven
60 minBake the loaves at 180°C (356°F) for about an hour. Check for doneness by observing the surface, which should be dry and firm; the inside should retain the firm structure typical of this cake.
Complete with sugar
Once cooked, remove the loaves from the oven and let them settle briefly. Then sprinkle them with the powdered sugar, spreading it on the surface in a light, even layer before serving.
Chef's Tips
The editorial staff recommends working the dough until it is compact and homogeneous, adding the wine a little at a time to avoid an excessively soft consistency.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for 6 people
- (14.11 oz) 400 g of raw cane sugar
- (1.76 oz) 50 g cocoa
- (1.76 oz) 50 g sweet chocolate
- 1 glass of dry white wine (2 tbsp) 2 tablespoons of honey
- (10.58 oz) 300 g white flour
- (8.82 oz) 250 g blanched and roughly chopped almonds
- (1.76 oz) 50 g of golden raisins
- (7.05 oz) 200 g pine nuts, citron and orange candied fruit
- (0.21 oz) 6 g ground cinnamon
- nutmeg, powdered sugar
Can't find it in the US?
- raw cane sugarMost US supermarkets
Turbinado or demerara sugar
Italian zucchero di canna is raw cane sugar, not soft brown sugar.
- candied fruitMostly online
Candied orange or lemon peel
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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