Mustaccioli

Mustaccioli are traditional Christmas sweets from the Campanian confectionery tradition, taking their name from “mosto” (grape must), the ingredient once used to prepare them.

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g plain flour (type 00)
• 90 g honey
• 75 g toasted almonds
• 20 g bitter cocoa powder
• 90 g sugar
• 55 g seed oil

• grated zest of one lemon
• 15 ml Strega liqueur
• 5 g ammonium carbonate (baker's ammonia)
• 5 g “pisto” spice mix (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)
• 500 g dark chocolate
  
  
  Mustaccioli are a genuine Christmas delight from the celebrated Campanian confectionery tradition, taking their name from “mosto” (grape must), once an essential part of the dough. With a soft interior and a delicious dark chocolate coating, mustaccioli are famous for their distinctive diamond shape. Tradition suggests these little sweets should measure between 10 and 12 centimetres, though recently a smaller version has become popular, like the one in this recipe. A confectionery treat not to be missed on Campanian tables during the Christmas season. The classic version of mustaccioli uses honey, cocoa and almonds, but equally renowned are the variants with rum, lemon, coffee and pistachios. Quite often, white chocolate is used instead of dark chocolate for the coating. Following the precise quantities given in this recipe, you will get 40 delicious mustaccioli, ready to delight the palates of friends and family over the festive season.
  
  HOW TO MAKE: MUSTACCIOLI1To make the mustaccioli, start by sifting the flour, sugar and cocoa together into a bowl. Toast the unpeeled almonds in the oven for 5/10 minutes. Once cooled, chop them roughly. 2Add all the ingredients (except the chocolate, which you'll need for the coating) and mix them together using a stand mixer. The dough may not come together easily, so it's a good idea to work it with your hands lightly greased with oil.
  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin (keeping a thickness of about 1 cm) and use a diamond-shaped cutter to shape the mustaccioli. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180°C for about 6/8 minutes. 3Once the mustaccioli are baked, let them cool on a wire rack.
  Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and carefully coat each mustacciolo. Place the glazed mustaccioli on a wire rack and let the chocolate set. Store them in a tin box or a tightly sealed jar.