Baking by feel, with love

Among the typical Umbrian Christmas sweets there is one with a very particular shape: the torciglione.
 

The attorta, or rocciata as it is known, is a popular cake in almost all of Umbria prepared during the winter holidays (from the beginning of November until Carnival). In particular, it is prepared especially during the Christmas holidays, perhaps because of its red colour given by alchermes.

Pinoccate are traditional Umbrian sweets, linked to the Christmas holidays. Based on sugar and pine nuts, with their characteristic rhombus shape, they can be white or black (in the chocolate variant).
Packaged in colorful papers, they are made with a mixture of water and sugar, boiled until you have a thick syrup, in which the pine nuts are then immersed. Poured the mixture onto a marble surface, while it cools it is modeled in many small rhombuses.

Typical of Terni, Panpepato (or Pampepato) is a dessert with very ancient origins. This round-shaped specialty is based on walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate, honey and raisins: a real concentrate of energy that makes it, in fact, a very popular dessert during the Christmas period.
Each family uses a revised version of the traditional recipe which is also why it is considered a popular dessert.
Recently the Panpepato di Terni received the important recognition of PGI product - Protected Geographical Indication precisely for its typicality, for its ancient origins that date back to at least 1500 and for the strong link with the territory of the entire province of Terni and municipalities of Massa Martana, Marsciano, Todi, Fratta Todina, Montecastello di Vibio and Deruta.

The Christmas Dinner has everywhere some precise rules: in Umbria one of the most traditional dishes is something between a cake and a pasta dish.