The last of the three ‘dolci’ celebrating Christmas. This is Maria, who shares her recipe for chestnut pastries called ‘tortelli di castagne’ which are typical of the Faenza area. They are more of a project than the castagnaccio recipe of yesterday!
For the chestnuts
1 kilo dried chestnuts
1/4 orange
1 slice of candied citron lemon
50g sugar
For the orange sauce (candito)
Orange peel (no white) plus juice of one orange
50g sugar
1 tablespoon saba
1 tablespoon rum
For the filling
chestnuts and orange sauce from above
1 tablespoon coffee powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons good quality jam (Maria used her plum jam)
50g sugar
For the pastry dough
1 kilo plain flour (00 if you are in Italy)
36g baking powder to make it self raising
100g lard
150g butter
4 eggs
400g sugar
zest of lemon and orange
pinch of salt
