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Rame di Napoli

17/11/2023

Rame di Napoli are traditional Sicilian sweets typically prepared for the Day of the Dead. They are chocolate shortcrust pastry biscuits filled with a sweet compound of cocoa, sugar, and various flavors. Here’s the recipe to make them:

Ingredients

For the cocoa shortcrust pastry:

  • 500 g of all-purpose flour
  • 200 g of butter at room temperature
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • The grated zest of an orange (optional)

For the filling:

  • 300 g of roasted and chopped almonds
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Cinnamon powder to taste
  • Ground cloves to taste
  • 100 g of orange marmalade (or other jam to taste)
  • Grated orange zest (optional)
  • A bit of orange liqueur or another liqueur to taste (optional)
  • Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start with the shortcrust pastry: sift the flour with the cocoa, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Create a well in the flour and add the sugar, softened butter in small pieces, eggs, and grated orange zest.
  2. Quickly work the ingredients until smooth and homogeneous. Form a ball, wrap it in cling film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  3. For the filling: in a bowl, mix the chopped almonds, sugar, cocoa powder, a pinch of cinnamon, ground cloves, marmalade, orange zest, and liqueur. Blend well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
  4. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a sheet about half a centimeter thick and cut out rectangles or shapes to your liking.
  5. Place a spoonful of filling on half of the pastry rectangles, then cover with the other half, sealing the edges well.
  6. Place the Rame di Napoli on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15-20 minutes.
  7. Once cooled, if desired, they can be dusted with icing sugar.

Rame di Napoli are sweets that carry with them the flavors and aromas typical of Sicily, where almond and cocoa blend perfectly with spices and orange zest, creating a truly unique bouquet of flavors.

Rame di Napoli