“Carnevale di Venezia”, “Carnevale di Viareggio” and the historical “Carnevale di Ivrea” are some of the most famous of the world.
Perhaps not everybody knows that the word “Carnevale” comes from Latin “carnem levare” and it means “eating meat is not allowed”
Indeed in the Middle age was not allowed eating meat from the first day of “Quaresima” till the “Holy Thursday” before easter.
During this period Italian bakery and family are used to make traditional sweets such as cenci, frappe, chiacchiere, frittelle di riso, zeppole, castagnole, struffoli, schiacciata fiorentina.
The carnival sweets are made in different ways and with different flavours and fillings such as chocolate, custard and home made jam. They are then baked in the oven or fried with spices on the top.
Today we show you how to make “Girandole” cookies.
Chiara’s Grandma Wilma used to make these biscuits, whose name comes from their shape that reminds us of the carnival “girandola” (pinwheel).
Making Girandole is very easy and quick, they are delicious and crumbly…perfect for your afternoon tea!
Ingredients
120g sugar
150g unsalted butter
1 egg
265g flour
1 table spoon of baking powder
A pinch of salt
vanilla flavour
150 gr dark chocolate powder
Let’s start mixing the butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 10 minutes, until the mix is getting light and well whipped.
Add the whole egg, salt and mix again.
Add flour and baking powder and cream it using a large spoon.
Separate the mix into two equal parts, adding the chocolate powder to the first one and the table spoon of vanilla flavour to the other.
Hand knead each piece of dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Wrap the dough in cling film and put it in fridge for 1 hour.
Take back the two pieces of dough and roll them, first the dark one and then the white.
Lay the two sheets one upon the other.
Make sure both sheets are the same size, and remove any excess dough, then roll the two sheets together.
Wrap the roll with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Slice the roll in 5 mm thick slices.
Lay them on a baking tray (don’t forget to put a grease proof sheet under your cookies!)
Put in the oven at the temperature of 180°C for 10 minutes.
Finally, leave them to cool and then…enjoy!
