Loretta Sebastiani

Loretta Sebastiani
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Pepperedbread
( Panpepato umbro )

Authentic Italian recipe from Umbria, Italy

Pepperedbread that I show you is the typical recipe I learnt in Umbria in my youth. People who live in Italy is used to make it at Christmastime and give it as a gift to friends and relatives. It's an excellent chocolate delicacy whose taste depends on the matching of chocolate, candies, honey, dried fruit and freshly ground pepper. Other Italian cakes and desserts?

difficulty: easy

time: preparation: 30 minutes
cooking: 10 minutes
total: 40 minutes

calories: 360 (kCal)

Ingredients / Serves 12

  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) sweet almonds, skinned
  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) hazel-nuts, skinned
  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) walnuts, shelled
  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) candied fruit, diced
  • 100g (3 1/2 ounces) sultanas (white raisins)
  • 200g (7 ounces) honey
  • 150g (5 1/2 ounces) bitter (semisweet) chocolate
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Grated nutmeg
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour
Difficulty:
easy recipe
Time:
preparation: 30 minutes
cooking: 10 minutes
total: 40 minutes
How many calories in a serving?
Calories: 360 (kcal) 18 % - 1506 (kJ)
Protein: 6.3 (g) 13 % GDA
Total fat: 19.6 (g) 29 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 39.2 (g) 15 % GDA
Sugars: 31.8 (g) 36 % GDA

Download free PDF version (1659 download).

Pepperedbread recipe

Preparation and cooking

  • - Soak sultanas in warm water, for about 20 minutes.
  • - Meanwhile prepare the other ingredients in a bowl.
    Chop up coarsely walnuts, almonds, hazel-nuts and chocolate.
    Add candied fruit, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and sultanas, squeezed of their soaking water.
    Sprinkle with black pepper.
  • - Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
    Line the bottom of a baking pan with waxed paper.
  • - Bring to the boil the honey, diluted with some water, in a bain marie over a low heat.
    Pour it immediately over the other ingredients, stirring continuously, until the chocolate melts.
    At this point add the white flour slowly; stir continuously.
    Continue adding the flour until you can shape the mixture into rolls (5 or 6) and arrange them on the baking pan.
    You can also use a spoon for this step.
  • - Bake for 10 minutes.

Just before serving

  • - Remove the baking pan from the oven and let your panpepato (pepperbread) cool before serving.

Note

Tips

  • - You may preserve this cake for a couple of weeks.
  • - It is perfect as handmade Christmas gift.
  • - Divide every cake into slices before serving it.
  • - It's difficult to say what's the right quantity of flour because it depends on the diluition of honey.
    Nutritional facts are calculated with 100g (3 1/2 ounces) of flour.
  • - How dilute the honey? it depends on your personal taste. If you love the sweet taste, little of course. I usually join a small glass of water. I do not like sweet when too "sweet" ;))

Menu planning

  • - My first tip is to prepare pepperbread to serve at the end of Christmas or Holiday menus. You can serve it together with panettone or pandoro too.
  • - If you plan an after dinner party with your friends to exchange Christmas greetings you can serve pepperbread, sliced and arranged in serving tray together with little pastries.

Healthy eating

  • - Calorie calculation refers to 12 people thinking of a reasonable portion.
  • - It is clear that, if you exceed, everything changes and with desserts, especially the good ones like this, it is very easy.
  • - At Christmastime the risk is even higher because our Italian traditions make us bring to the table many delicious but high calorie, full of fat and sugar dishes.
    The real problem is that Christmastime last a few days ... so pay attention! ;))

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Pepperedbread "?

Our suggestion is: Brachetto d'Acqui (sparkling red wine from Piedmont - Italy)