Cavallucci Senesi

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy small saucepan for honey syrup
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Wooden spoon
• •Baking sheets lined with parchment

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the baking soda, salt, coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Add the anise seeds, chopped walnuts, and diced candied orange peel. Toss everything together so the additions are evenly distributed throughout the flour. Make a well in the center.

   Whole anise seeds, not ground, are traditional. They provide bursts of flavor rather than uniform perfume. Toast them briefly in a dry pan if you want to intensify their character.
2. 2

   Make the honey syrup

   Combine the honey, sugar, and water in a small heavy saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble gently for two minutes. The syrup should be hot and fluid but not caramelized. Remove from heat immediately.

3. 3

   Form the dough

   Pour the hot honey syrup into the well in the flour. Working quickly with a wooden spoon, stir from the center outward, incorporating the flour gradually until a rough, sticky dough forms. The dough will be quite warm. Let it cool for five minutes until you can handle it, then knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until it comes together. Do not overwork it. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky, and pliable.

   If the dough seems too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If too dry and crumbly, wet your hands and knead briefly. Humidity affects this dough considerably.
4. 4

   Shape the cookies

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 24 pieces, roughly the size of a walnut in its shell. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a thick disc about two inches across. The tops will crack during baking, which is correct. Place them two inches apart on the prepared sheets.

5. 5

   Bake until cracked

   Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes. The cavallucci are done when they are pale gold on the bottom, still somewhat soft to the touch, and the tops have developed characteristic cracks. They will firm as they cool. Do not overbake them or they will become hard as stones.

   The cookies should look slightly underdone when you remove them. They continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and will firm as they cool. Trust this.
6. 6

   Cool and store

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If you like, dust lightly with powdered sugar once cooled. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature. They will keep for two weeks and actually improve after the first day, becoming softer and more aromatic.

Chef Tips

• •Chestnut honey, miele di castagno, is traditional in Tuscany and gives these cookies their characteristic depth. It is darker and less sweet than other honeys, almost bitter. If unavailable, use a good wildflower honey, never the bland supermarket clover.
• •The candied orange peel should be good quality, soft and fragrant. The hard, fluorescent bits sold in supermarket baking aisles are an abomination. Make your own or buy from an Italian grocer.
• •Do not expect these to be crisp. Cavallucci are meant to be dense and slightly chewy, softening further over time. If yours are hard, you have overbaked them.
• •Some Sienese bakers add a splash of vin santo to the dough. This is acceptable. It is not required.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made one day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before shaping.
• •Baked cavallucci keep for two weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature. They improve after the first day as the spices mellow and the texture softens.
• •These ship well in tins, as they were designed for travel. Wrap the tin in cloth and send to those you love at Christmas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 31g)