The Roccocò is a baked Neapolitan dessert. Its unique taste is due to the almonds together with various spices. Its scent characterizes the Neapolitan Christmas.
The first recipe of the Roccocò dates back to 1320. The dessert was initially prepared by the nuns of the Real Convento della Maddalena.
The term Roccocò derives from the French ‘roccaille’. It is referred to the baroque shape that reminds a rolled shell.
The typical Neapolitan dessert is eaten on the 8th of December for the lunch of the Immacolata.
The Roccocò is not simple to prepare as the tradition teaches. In fact, the dessert has a consistency crunchy outside and soft inside. Moreover, it has a brownish color and a thick aspect. The attention on the cooking is therefore fundamental. It could be defined impenetrable dessert because tough and dry, but also tender at the sight for its shape of donut. For its toughness, the Roccocò is often tasted dipping in red wine or in a glass of marsala or vermouth, or in a glass of sparkling wine or dry white wine.
The Christmas dessert Roccocò emanates the scent of citrus fruits that reminds the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Tasting it on the Neapolitan table on Christmas is an irreplaceable tradition. As inevitable is the sentence that is said tasting these delicacies: ‘You need to have good teeth to eat the Roccocò!’
Spiced, extremely scented and tasty, with almonds, ratatouille, orange peel, flour, eggs, sugar and bicarbonate, the Roccocò is presented at the best in the trays, almost always accompanied by the mustaccioli. In this way, they make the perfect couple of desserts usually eaten on the table of the Neapolitans.
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