Christmas! It's Not Over Yet!

Post - Christmas holiday celebrations in Italy include a carnival in Rome, La Befana Races (Regatta della Befana) on Venice’s Grand Canal and the parade of The Three Kings in Milan extending the festive spirit beyond Christmas Day.

The taste of Christmas is still with us because Christmas in Italy doesn’t necessarily involve a cheery fat fellow in a red fur trimmed suit and it doesn’t necessarily end on December 25th. The holiday season in Italy extends well into the New Year with Three Wise Men and a Witch and Twelve more days to celebrate the season.

An Italian Christmas tradition lingers into the New Year when on the the Twelfth Night of Christmas La Befana, the Christmas Witch, extends the magic of Christmas a little longer. Visiting Italian children on the eve of the Epiphany (January 6th) she fills their stockings with candy and presents on her journey to follow the Star to find the baby Jesus.

The cheer of the holidays is still in the air. The Twelve Days of Christmas extend the spirit of the season with 12 more days of Christmas that reminds us to enjoy the season taking the time you need for the best fresh start as you enter into a New Year.

La Befana Epiphany Cake

A dense, sweet-spiced cake made with diced and candied fruits and a splash of spirits. Served on January 6th to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany and the legend of La Befana.

Ingredients: 

• 1 & 1/4 cup polenta (Moretti Bramante polenta)

• 3/4 cup almond flour

• 3/4 cup brown sugar (a little extra or sprinkling on top) or 1/2 cup of honey

• 1/3 cup softened butter

• 3 & 1/2 cups of milk

• 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest

• 2 tablespoons currants or raisins

• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons candied orange peels (chopped)

• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons minced candied ginger

• 2 tablespoons dried apricots (finely chopped) cherries or cranberries

• 3/4 cup diced figs

• 1/4 cup of Grappa (or brandy)

• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of anise seeds

• A pinch of fine grey sea salt

• 2 tablespoons of almond flakes and confection sugar for garnish

Directions:

• Put all the candied fruit, raisins, ginger, and apricots in a bowl, pour over the brandy, and allow to soften for an hour.

• Bring the milk to a boil with a pinch of salt. Once you have reached the boil, pour in the almond flour and polenta, slowly, mixing well with a whisk, so that it does not form lumps. Reduce heat to low, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 10-12 minutes. The mixture should be soft and non-gritty so add more milk if necessary. It will be thick.

• Remove from heat, then add the butter in chunks, the diced figs, brown sugar, brandy-soaked dried fruit, fennel, and anise seeds.

• Mix well, then pour the mixture into a pre-greased round springboard cake tin (8 -9 inches). Level it, sprinkle the surface generously with brown sugar. Cook at 350 F for about 50-55 minutes, a beautiful golden-brown crust should form on the surface. If you used honey you may need an additional 7-10 minutes but don’t over bake as it will firm up and set once cool. Let sit overnight so flavors can intermingle and deepen! A dense cake that can serve 8-12.

Find the perfect polenta for this recipe at CosituttiMarketPlace.