Buccellati (Little Bracelets) are Sicilian cookies, traditionally served at Christmas time. The origins of the recipe are disputed: some crediting the Muslims who ruled Sicily while others saying the ancient Romans who once ruled Sicily. Today throughout Sicily, the fillings and the shapes for the cookies have many variations, and even the names of the cookies differ in the Sicilian provinces (Cucciddati, Pucciddati, Ucciddati, and more). Regardless, Buccellati are delicious cookies to serve in your home and to give as Christmas gifts.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients for the Cookie Dough:

• 500 grams flour
• 125 grams sugar
• 50 grams lard
• half packets baking powder for cakes (yeast)
• 1 egg
• 140 grams milk or water

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 300 grams dried figs, with stems removed
• 150 grams almonds, finely chopped
• 150 grams walnuts, finely chopped
• 50 grams raisins, finely chopped
• 200 grams of a chocolate bar, finely chopped
• 125 grams of apricot or orange jam
• 125 grams honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 2 teaspoons of bitter cocoa powder

Ingredients for the Icing:

• 1 egg white
• 2 drops lemon juice
• 120 grams icing sugar (approximately)
• Coloured sprinkles, to taste

Note: Prepare icing after the cookies have been baked.

Directions for the Cookie Dough:

Mix the flour with the sugar, lard, baking powder, egg, and milk into a compact and smooth dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator.

Directions for the Filling:

Soak the figs – if hard, about 30 minutes in hot water. Then chop or pass the dried figs with a “vegetable mill.”

Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Add the almonds, raisins, walnuts, and chocolate and puree. Use a mixer if desired.

Add the rest of the ingredients (cinnamon, cocoa powder, jam, and honey), and mix until a firm dough is formed.

Let the dough res in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Directions for the Buccellati:

Roll out the dough into thin sheets, and cut into long rectangles.

Place a “string” as long as the dough is large in the center of each rectangle. Close the edges of the dough, forming a long cylinder.

Cut each cylinder into small pieces about 5 cm. Then use a sharp pointed knife to make 2 slight cuts on each filled cookie.

Arrange the cookies, positioning them slightly curved, on a pan with parchment paper.

Cook the cookies in a hot oven at 180° for about 20 minutes until they brown lightly. Then take them out of the oven, and let them cool before decorating.

Directions for Decoration:

Start preparing the icing for the decoration.

Pour the egg white into a bowl, and flavour it with the lemon juice. Work it with a whisk until it turns white, but do not whip it up.

Add the icing sugar to form a creamy glaze.

Arrange the cookies on a wire rack, and decorate the surface of each cookie with the icing and coloured sprinkles. Let the cookies dry before serving them.

Put the cookies in a closed container for up to 15 days. Most likely, they will be eaten before then! Buon Appetito!