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One aspect of this tradition is the exchange of sweet treats. Over time, various delicious snacks have become synonymous with Befana. In particular, dried fruits are popular ingredients in many of these sweets. Here are three quick and easy treats that use dried fruit to create delicious fritters, cakes, and cookies.
1. Dried Fruit Fritters
Fruit fritters are a quick and easy dessert that can be made in various ways. To make dried fruit fritters, you will need a few basic ingredients and your favorite dried fruit. Some popular dried fruits used in this recipe are apples, apricots, raisins, and figs. The first step is to rehydrate the fruits by soaking them in warm water for a few minutes.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup of flour
– 1 egg
– 1 tablespoon of sugar
– A pinch of salt
– 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
– 1/2 cup of milk
– 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– Rehydrated dried fruit (as much as you like)
– Cooking oil (for frying)
Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg and mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
3. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well to form a smooth batter.
4. Drain the rehydrated dried fruits and chop them into small pieces.
5. Fold in the chopped fruits into the batter and mix well.
6. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan.
7. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into the pan for each fritter and fry until golden brown on both sides.
8. Remove the fritters from the pan and place them on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
2. Dried Fruit Cake
A dried fruit cake is a traditional Befana dessert. It is a simple recipe that uses dried fruit, flour, sugar, eggs, and butter to create a delicious cake. For the dried fruit cake, you can use any type of dried fruit of your choice, such as raisins, apricots, or figs.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup of flour
– 3 eggs
– 1/2 cup of sugar
– A pinch of salt
– 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
– 1/2 cup of butter
– 1/2 cup of milk
– 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup of chopped dried fruit
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Melt the butter and mix it in the eggs and sugar mixture.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix well.
6. Slowly add the milk and vanilla extract, stirring continuously.
7. Fold in the chopped dried fruit into the batter and mix well.
8. Pour the batter into a greased baking tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
9. Let the cake cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
3. Dried Fruit Cookies
Cookies are a popular Befana treat in Italy. These dried fruit cookies are a simple recipe that uses just a few ingredients. The cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and the dried fruits give them a sweet and tangy flavor.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup of flour
– 1/2 cup of butter
– 1/2 cup of sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
– A pinch of salt
– 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
– 1/2 cup of chopped dried fruit
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix well.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing continuously.
6. Fold in the chopped dried fruit into the batter and mix well.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Using a spoon, drop small balls of dough onto the baking sheet.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
10. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
In conclusion, Befana is a great opportunity to indulge in sweet treats and delicious food. These easy-to-make recipes feature dried fruits and make the perfect Befana treats. Try them at home and enjoy!
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