The historical recipe of Berlingozzo
The soft, simple and delicious cake of the Florentine Carnival
Lorenzo de Medici, in his Canti carnascialeschi, dedicated a song to the bakers and their Berlingozzo: "Donne, noi siam giovani fornai, de l'arte nostra buon' maestri assai: Noi facciam berlingozzi, e zuccherini".
And Berlingozzo is much more than a sweet: it represents the structure of Tuscan society of the 15th century which saw the growth of the power of the Medici family. A powerful family that marked the cultural and artistic history of the whole world.
il berlingozzo, dolce storico del carnevale a firenze This doughnut has ancient origins, it is mentioned by poets of the '400 that tell it was served as an appetizer at the table of Cosimo I de'Medici. The same chronicles tell how the Tuscan pranksters hung it around their necks in order to "berlingare", which has become a synonym of "burlare".
The name berlingozzo derives from the name of the Thursday grasso called berlingaccio, which in turn takes its name from berleghum, a Latin word that meant the table with the diners.
But let's find out the recipe, quick and easy to make at home!
INGREDIENTS
400 gr of sifted 00 flour
170 gr of sugar (also raw sugar)
16 gr of baking powder. It is a standard sachet found in commerce
2 whole eggs
2 yolks
2 untreated oranges
90 gr of extra virgin olive oil
160 gr of Vin Santo
40 gr of anise liqueur
A doughnut mold with a diameter of 20 cm
Butter or oil and 1 tablespoon of flour to flour the mold and be able to easily detach the cake once cooked.
berlingozzoPREPARATION OF BERLINGOZZO
Combine the 4 egg yolks in a bowl with 150 gr of sugar.
Put two egg whites in a second bowl to whip them separately, the other two could be used to make a fluffier omelette or fantastic cookies.
Whip the egg yolks with the sugar until puffy and fluffy.
Add the oil, continuing to whisk.
Now add the wine, the anise liquor and the grated orange peel.
Finally add the flour sifted with the sachet of yeast.
Now a pinch of salt
Add a little at a time the egg whites, turning the mixture from bottom to top, so as not to deflate it.
Put the mixture nice and creamy in the mold. Tap the cake pan two and three times on the board so that the mixture settles.
Add a handful of granulated sugar on top and bake at 160 degrees for 50 minutes.
While the Berlingozzo is in the oven, place a small saucepan with the juice from the two oranges and 20g of sugar on the stove. It must simmer to create a sort of syrup.
Once the doughnut is cooked, place it on a flat surface and pour over it the orange syrup and a sprinkling of "mompariglia" and colored candies.
