When I was little, the night between November 1st and 2nd was a special one. On that night, between the day of All Saints and the day of the Dead, every household in Sicily would become populated with the spirits of our beloved departed. These spirits were not of the frightening, ghostly kind. They were the same familiar faces in photographs framed and displayed in the living room - the forced smile and best dress ironed to perfection.
That night, the spirits of our departed grandparents and great-grandparents - we affectionately called them “morticini” - would visit us children in our sleep and hide many gifts and sweets around the house.
It’s hard to describe the excitement the next morning when, hearts pounding, we would wake up at dawn and run around the house looking for gifts, hidden usually under a bed or above a wardrobe.
Later that day, we would dress up and pay respects at the cemetery to thank our dearly departed for what they had brought us. Far from being morbid or sad, this was (and still is) a day of celebration and remembrance of those we loved and no longer with us.
Among the sweet treats, which we broadly call “dolci dei morti”, these - called “rami di meli” or “rame di napoli” - are some of the most traditional ones in Sicily, and I baked a big batch in remembrance and celebration of the Day of the Dead which happens to be today, and in homage to those who left us, who we still miss every day. ❤️
Ingredients
500g 00 flour
200g sugar
150g butter
300ml milk
80g of unsweetened cocoa powder
16g of baking powder
1tbsp honey
4 cloves, powdered
1tsp ground cinnamon
Grated zest of 1 orange
For the glaze:
200g dark chocolate
60g butter
Chopped pistachios
Method
Melt butter and honey together.
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. Add butter & honey.
Warm up milk & add baking powder. Add this mixture to the batter.
Take a spoonful of batter and with wet hands form an oval ball and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes
Meanwhile, melt chocolate & butter in a bain marie. When the cookies have cooled down completely, dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle chopped pistachios.
