Nottinghamshire &amp; Derbyshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/mixed-pasticcini.jpg" alt="mixed pasticcini italian desserts made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7392" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/mixed-pasticcini.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/mixed-pasticcini-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/mixed-pasticcini-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/mixed-pasticcini-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Who doesn’t love a mouthwatering mouthful of flaky pastry over the festive period? And I don’t mean mince pies. This Christmas Muddy’s discovered Italian pasticcini (that’s little pastries for the non-linguist), and we are so here for them.</p>



<p>But beyond a classic Christmas panettone, where do we start? Muddy tapped up Lorena from Nottingham-based Pasticceria Lorena, creator of delectable Italian desserts, for the inside scoop on her favourite pasticcini.</p>



<p>‘In Italy, Patisserie is considered a real art form and has a very long and rich history,’ explains Lorena. ‘It’s influenced by the ingredients, climate and traditions within the area it is created. That’s why if you visited a Pasticceria in the north of Italy you will probably find quite different &#8216;Dolce&#8217; or &#8216;Pasticcini&#8217; than if you went to one in the south. In the north for example you might find more refined patisserie influenced by the French and in the south, you’ll find more rustic pastries and cakes with Arabic influences &#8211; although you’ll find some core Italian favourites that are found all over Italy.’</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/09/Lorena.jpg" alt="Lorena from Pasticceria Lorena Notts" class="wp-image-6084" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/09/Lorena.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/09/Lorena-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/09/Lorena-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/09/Lorena-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Pasticcinis’ USP? How light and fresh-tasting they are. You’ll find local ingredients such as lemons and Limoncello from the Amalfi coast, ricotta cheese made in Sicily, creamy mascarpone made in Lombardy, or Amarena cherries grown in Bologna. A bit of booze, like liqueurs and wines are commonly used as the base of flavour for creams and syrups too.</p>



<p>‘Italian patisserie, like Italian cooking, is unfussy and uncomplicated, it lets the key ingredients and flavours shine through,’ says Lorena. ‘Most pasticcini have several elements to them and, like with all patisserie, making them requires patience, skill and practice, along with a lot of passion!’</p>



<p>Not convinced you have the time or skill? You’re in luck because Lorena runs an <a href="https://www.pasticcerialorena.com/italian-pastry-club">Italian Pastry club</a>, a monthly opportunity to buy small selection boxes of Italian pasticcini and cakes (for collection). Subscribers receive a heads-up on each month’s menu of goodies. Throughout December, staring on Fri 8 Dec, there will be pastry club offerings every weekend.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lorena-s-5-favourite-pasticcini">Lorena&#8217;s 5 favourite pasticcini</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-sicilian-cannoli-nbsp">1. Sicilian Cannoli&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Cannoli-2.jpg" alt="sicilian cannoli made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7387" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Cannoli-2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Cannoli-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Cannoli-2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Cannoli-2-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>A deep fried pastry tube containing Marsala wine and cinnamon, filled with a ricotta cream flavoured with citrus zest and candied peel. These are also delicious in other flavours such as pistachio and Amarena cherry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-rum-baba">2. Rum Baba</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Rum-Baba.jpg" alt="rum baba italian dessert made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7388" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Rum-Baba.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Rum-Baba-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Rum-Baba-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Rum-Baba-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>A brioche-style, mushroom shaped bun soaked with a Rum and citrus syrup. Often filled with a chantilly cream or crema&nbsp;pasticcera. These soft and moist desserts are native to Naples and pack a real Rum punch!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-bigne">3. Bigne</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Bigne.jpg" alt="bigne italian dessert made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7389" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Bigne.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Bigne-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Bigne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Bigne-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>A round choux bun filled with a flavoured crema pasticcera, (my flavour of choice is definitely Limoncello). These are common&nbsp;in French patisserie also and are used to build a croquembouche.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-pesche-finte">4. Pesche Finte</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Pesche-Finte.jpg" alt="pesche finte italian dessert made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7390" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Pesche-Finte.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Pesche-Finte-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Pesche-Finte-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Pesche-Finte-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>(Fake peaches)&nbsp;A biscuit that is hollowed and filled with a vanilla crema pasticcera and dipped in a pink spiced liqueur called &#8216;Alchermes&#8217; and rolled in sugar. I finish mine with a mint leaf to give it that peach-like appearance. This pastry originated in the region of Emiglia-Romana, but is also very popular in the south. The liqueur used in this pastry is very widely used in Italian pasticceria and made specifically for this purpose.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-mille-foglie">5. Mille Foglie</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Helen-Howard-Photography-Hanbury-styles-Shoot-338Mille-Foglie.jpg" alt="mille fogile italian dessert made by Lorena Pasticceria Nottingham" class="wp-image-7391" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Helen-Howard-Photography-Hanbury-styles-Shoot-338Mille-Foglie.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Helen-Howard-Photography-Hanbury-styles-Shoot-338Mille-Foglie-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Helen-Howard-Photography-Hanbury-styles-Shoot-338Mille-Foglie-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2023/12/Helen-Howard-Photography-Hanbury-styles-Shoot-338Mille-Foglie-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Inspired by the French mille-feuille, layers of flaky puff pastry, vanilla crema pasticcera and dusted with icing sugar. I like to finish mine with chantilly cream and lots of fresh fruit. There are lots of flavour variations of this dessert, in Italy we love to fill it with nut flavours such as pistachio and hazelnut. This is also traditionally served as wedding cake (as pictured) in the northern regions of Italy.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://nottsderbyshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/pasticceria-lorena-caterer-nottingham/">Pasticceria Lorena</a>, Tel: 0791 910 7098. Click for details about the <a href="https://www.pasticcerialorena.com/italian-pastry-club">Italian Pastry club</a>.</em></p>


Move over mince pies! 5 perfect pasticcini

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