Cavalucci Di Italia (Nut cakes of Italy)

Cavallucci come from Siena, where they’ve been baked the same way since the Renaissance. The name comes from “cavallo” (horse), originally a sweet that fed couriers and stablehands traveling Tuscan roads. They’re not soft sugar-cookie sweet, they’re chewy, dense, and unmistakably medieval, perfumed with walnuts, candied orange peel, and a warm spice trio of clove, cinnamon, and star anise.

The technique sets them apart from any modern cookie. Instead of creaming butter and sugar, you boil sugar with water until it spins a thread (around 230°F / 110°C), then knead the hot syrup into flour, nuts, and spices. The hot sugar partially cooks the flour and lets the spices bloom, creating a dense, chewy cookie that holds its perfume for weeks. They were originally made for travel and they keep beautifully in a tin. Pair them with sweet vin santo for a true Sienese finish to a meal.

Chef Tips

• Use a candy thermometer to hit the thread stage (around 230°F / 110°C). Underdone syrup makes a wet, gummy dough; overdone caramelizes too far and turns brittle.
• Knead the dough quickly while still warm. As the syrup cools the dough stiffens and becomes hard to work.
• Roll the dough thin, around ¼ inch (6 mm), so the cookies bake evenly. Thicker cookies stay raw in the middle.
• Store in an airtight tin, layered between sheets of parchment. They actually improve after a day or two as the spices settle.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for chopped almonds, or use a mix of both for a different nutty profile.
• Add a splash of orange-flower water or grated lemon zest to the dough for floral notes.
• Drizzle finished cookies with a thin lemon glaze for a more festive presentation.