Cuculi Calabrese are a traditional Italian Easter dessert. Some call them Cuzzupe di Pasqua and you can form them into a large round shape referred to as Ciambelle as well.
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Calabrese Cuculi are made from a sweet dough shaped around an egg. Sometimes the egg is dyed a vibrant pastel color signifying spring or smothered in icing sugar with sprinkles. The egg used in the cuculi is raw and cooks during the baking process.
This was the first time making cuculi with my mom who is 84 years old. It's amazing how many desserts the older generation could make with simple ingredients like Turdilli with Honey or Pitta Mpigliata.
Easter is a wonderful time to get together with family. What better time to make a special pasta dish like my Momma's Lasagna al Forno.
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Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
- Simple - ingredients you'll find in your pantry form the ingredients for this dessert
- Fun - a fun and creative way to spend time with your kids decorating eggs or the surface of the cake, or just spend time with your mom.
- Taste - a great snack to have with a cup of espresso or regular coffee.
- Quick - ready in one hour from mixer to table.
Ingredients You'll Need
You will need the following ingredients to make Calabrian Cuculi Easter dessert: eggs, sugar, orange, shortening, baking powder, vanilla baking powder, flour, icing sugar (optional).
Orange zest and juice bring a unique flavor to this Easter dessertÂ
Shortening helps to make the outer later crispy, while keeping the inner part light
Vanillin or Vanilla Baking Powder is a unique way to infuse vanilla into baked goods. (it's not really baking powder, it's a powder that you bake with!)
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cuculi and Italian Easter Dessert
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the 4 eggs and sugar on low speed.
Add orange juice and zest, milk and melted shortening. Make sure that the shortening is cool to the touch before adding it to the egg mixture.
Add vanilla powder and mix. Remove from stand mixer to add and mix remaining ingredients by hand.
Add baking powder and flour gradually one cup at a time. Mix with a spatula. Once the dough isn't sticky turn it out on a floured surface (about 4 ½ cups of flour at this point)
Roll on a floured surface, gradually add more flour as needed. Once the dough is well kneaded and not sticky prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut a piece of the dough and roll it out about 2 inches thick and 16 inches wide. Place it on the baking sheet into the shape of a long skinny U.
Place a raw egg at the top of the U. Wrap the dough around the bottom of the egg then criss cross the dough 2 times. (similar to a sugar twist donut). Repeat.
You can also form the pieces to make ciambelle. For the ciambelle make a large circle, place 3 eggs strategically on the dough. Then use more dough shaped in a U to go around each egg, twist, then push the ends into the dough. Repeat around each egg. Then finally make smaller pieces of dough rope to make the crosses on the eggs.
Brush the surface with milk and sprinkle with sugar before placing in the oven.
Bake at 350℉ for about 45 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the egg comes out clean.
To decorate, let cool completely. Then cover in a light icing made of milk and icing sugar. Decorate with sprinkles while icing is still sticky.
Storage: Let the cuculi cool down completely, do not cover. Once cooled you can ice them and pour sprinkles on them (optional). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. Eat the eggs as soon as possible to avoid spoiling.
Meal Prep Tips
Use a toothpick inserted near the egg to test whether the cake is cooked. If the toothpick comes out clean and it is not sticky, then it is ready.
You will want the tops of the cuculi to get golden, but if they turn brown to quickly, use a piece of parchment paper to cover them loosely while they continue to bake.
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
Italians usually eat goat at Easter time and indulge in traditional Easter desserts like cuculi with a mid afternoon espresso.
The main ingredients for cuculi call for shortening, sugar, flour and egg. Also included is vanilla, orange, milk and baking powder.
Yes, the egg that goes into the center of the decoration is raw and cooks while baking.
Main Dishes
Looking for main dishes? Try these:
Recipe Details
Cuculi Calabrese an Italian Easter Dessert
Ingredients
- 7 large eggs (reserve 3 for cucculu decoration)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 large orange zest and juice only
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shortening e.g. Crisco, melted
- 8 tsp baking powder
- 1 pkg Vanilla Baking Powder
- 5 cups flour
Icing (Optional)
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ cup icing sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the 4 eggs and sugar on low speed.
- Add orange juice and zest, milk and melted shortening. Make sure that the shortening is cool to the touch before adding it to the egg mixture.
- Add vanilla powder and mix. Remove from stand mixer to add and mix remaining ingredients by hand.
- Add baking powder and flour gradually one cup at a time. Mix with a spatula. Once the dough isn't sticky turn it out on a floured surface (about 4 ½ cups of flour at this point)
- Roll on a floured surface, gradually add more flour as needed. Once the dough is well kneaded and not sticky prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut a piece of the dough and roll it out about 2 inches thick and 16 inches wide. Place it on the baking sheet into the shape of a long skinny U.
- Place a raw egg at the top of the U. Wrap the dough around the bottom of the egg then criss cross the dough 2 times. (similar to a sugar twist donut).
- Take another piece of the dough and roll it out thinner, about 1 inch thick and 14 inches long and place it around the egg in the shape of a U like the first piece. It should be on top of the first piece of dough. Then criss cross it again tracing the first piece of dough underneath.
- Finally, take a smaller piece of the dough and roll out two small thin pieces about 3 inches long and place them over the egg one horizontally and one vertically so that they intersect on top of the egg. Push the edges into the sides so that they stick to the main design.
- You can also form the pieces to make ciambelle. For the ciambelle make a large circle, place 3 eggs strategically on the dough. Then use more dough shaped in a U to go around each egg, twist, then push the ends into the dough. Repeat around each egg. Then finally make smaller pieces of dough rope to make the crosses on the eggs.
- Brush the surface with milk and sprinkle with sugar before placing in the oven.
- Bake at 350℉ for about 45 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the egg comes out clean.
- To decorate, let cool completely. Then cover in a light icing made of milk and icing sugar. Decorate with sprinkles while icing is still sticky.
Notes
Meal Prep Tips
Use a toothpick inserted near the egg to test whether the cake is cooked. If the toothpick comes out clean and it is not sticky, then it is ready. You will want the tops of the cuculi to get golden, but if they turn brown to quickly, use a piece of parchment paper to cover them loosely while they continue to bake.Nutrition
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Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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