Traditional Sweets of Halloween in Florence and Tuscany

The recipes and where to try them

Trick or Treat? If we really wanted to play the role of an ethnologist, we’d find that the Anglo-Saxon tradition of Halloween—now embraced in Italy by younger generations and festive adults—actually owes a debt to Italy. Italy’s own ancient tradition, All Saints’ Day, is celebrated with local culinary delights featuring autumnal flavors such as walnuts, raisins, dried figs, almonds, and chestnuts. November 1st marks the feast day of all saints, honoring the glory of all saints, canonized and uncanonized alike. The following day, November 2nd, is dedicated to commemorating the deceased. As in every Italian celebration, sweets are essential, and the "Day of the Dead" has its own traditional treats. Here are some of those enjoyed in Florence and Tuscany, along with their recipes.

Castagnaccio

Very popular in Florence, castagnaccio is the quintessential Tuscan autumn dessert, simple and rustic, made with chestnut flour, pine nuts, walnuts, and rosemary. Originally a “poor man’s dish,” it’s now one of the region’s most beloved traditional desserts among tourists and food enthusiasts. Florentine bakeries compete to make the best version with their own secret recipes. Here are a few:

Forno Pintucci, via Senese, 147/r, ph. +39 055 802 4498
Antico Forno Giglio, Via Vincenzo Gioberti, 151/r, ph. +39 055 244402
Antico Forno Guasti, Via del Ponte Alle Riffe, 15/r, ph. +39 055 583923
Forno Becagli, Borgo Ognissanti 92/r, ph. + 39 055 215065
Forno Palatresi, Borgo Ognissanti, 102r, ph +39 055 294969
Pugi, Piazza San Marco, 9/b - ph. +39 055 280981
- Via San Gallo 62/r - ph. +39 055 475975
- Via G. Orsini 63-65 - ph. +39 055 689763
- Via Anton Francesco Doni 10 - ph. +39 055 364179
- Viale Edmondo de Amicis 49 - ph. +39 055 669666

Pan co' Santi

This quintessential All Saints’ treat is mainly prepared in the bakeries and pastry shops of Siena and, with slight variations, in Grosseto. It’s a dark, round sweet bread enriched with walnuts and raisins, enjoyed as a breakfast, snack, or afternoon treat. Here’s the recipe:

250 g all-purpose flour
250 g Manitoba flour
20 g fresh yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
70 ml extra-virgin olive oil
50 g butter
80 ml lukewarm water
80 ml milk
40 ml Vin Santo
200 g chopped walnut halves
120 g golden raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
2 egg yolks to glaze

Melt the butter into the olive oil over very low heat and let cool. Soak the raisins in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, then drain, squeeze well, and sprinkle with a spoonful of Vin Santo. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water, stirring gently with a fork or small whisk; in a bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the water with the dissolved yeast, then the milk, the remaining Vin Santo, and the oil with butter, setting aside a couple of tablespoons of the oil mixture for later. Gradually incorporate the liquid into the flour mixture, then knead by hand. Knead vigorously for 10-15 minutes and, near the end, add the raisins and walnuts. Divide the dough into two pieces, placing each in a large, clean, lightly floured bowl covered with a light cloth. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for at least 4 hours. After rising, gently press down the dough to deflate it, then divide it into 4 parts and shape each into a small loaf. Make a cross incision on each loaf and let them rise for another hour and a half. Brush with beaten egg yolk and bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes (or 30-35 minutes for larger loaves). Once done, remove and cool on a rack.

Ossi di Morto

Traditionally prepared in areas like Montalcino (Siena) and Volterra (Pisa) for All Saints’ Day, these “Bones of the Dead” are crunchy cookies with a rough, porous texture, reminiscent of bones. Made with just a few ingredients: flour, sugar, almonds or hazelnuts, egg whites, lemon zest, and extra-virgin olive oil. Here’s the recipe:

60 g hazelnuts
70 g egg whites, about 2
200 g sugar
200 g type 0 flour
3 g baking powder
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Toast the hazelnuts in a pan, being careful not to burn them. Once golden, remove from the heat and let cool. When cool, grind to a coarse flour. Whip the egg whites with the sugar until white and glossy, then add hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Mix until a firm ball forms. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Shape the dough into logs and cut into uniform pieces, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool completely before removing from parchment. They keep for several days in a tin or glass jar.

Pan ficato or tortino de' morti

In Pisa and its surroundings, Pan ficato (or tortino de’ morti) is a traditional dish enjoyed on November 1st and 2nd in local taverns or shops. This sweet bread is enriched with dried figs, almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, and candied fruit, blending the warm flavors of fall. Here’s the recipe:

200 g almonds
70 g pine nuts
100 g walnuts
100 g dried figs, chopped
50 g candied orange peel, chopped
125 g raisins
200 g cocoa powder
300 g sugar
70 +20 g powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cloves
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
250 ml red wine, like Ciliegiolo
100 ml Ruby Port
450 g flour

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the flour and 20 g of powdered sugar. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and let macerate for 12 hours. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Add flour to the bowl and mix thoroughly until a firm dough forms. Divide into 4 portions, shape into 4 cakes, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool, then sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Ciaccino

In Civitella Marittima, a town in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, this flat bread, also known as “schiaccia dei santi,” can be either sweet or savory. Ciaccino is made from bread dough with added walnuts, raisins, salt, and pepper, and is enjoyed as breakfast or a snack, especially with a glass of Moscadello or passito. Here’s the recipe:

500 g type 1 stone-ground soft wheat flour
370 ml water
1 g (1 teaspoon) dry yeast (= about 3 g fresh yeast)
10 g sugar
5 g (1 teaspoon) salt
1 tablespoon anise seeds
80 g raisins
100 g walnut halves
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg and extra raisins and walnuts for topping

In a small glass, combine dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a small amount of lukewarm water. In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, sugar, and water. When foam forms on the yeast mixture (about 10 minutes), pour the dissolved yeast into the bowl. Mix, forming a sticky dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature in a closed space (such as a turned-off oven) for 9-10 hours. Soak the raisins in warm water for half an hour, and chop the walnuts. Warm the oil in a small pan and gently fry the raisins, walnuts, and anise seeds for 5 minutes.