When I was growing up in New York, from third grade through high school, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend my summers in Italy. I would stay with my grandmother in Cesenatico, hang out at the beach with my friends, and eat the wonderful food my grandmother cooked. I have never become accustomed to the traditional American breakfast of eggs and fried pork products, or even cereal. Some fresh bread with butter and jam andcaffèlatteis my preferred breakfast, with the proportion of coffee to milk increasing as I have gotten older, from just a drop in a large cup of milk when I was little, to mostly coffee with a splash of milk as an adult. But even better than bread and butter is a breakfast sweet such as my grandmother'sciambella.She always seemed to have some on hand. It's very easy to make and keeps wonderfully on the kitchen counter for as long as a week. It may well keep even longer, but I've never been able to resist eating it for long enough to find out. The classic shape of aciambellais a ring; in fact, there is a saying for when something doesn't work out:non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco,which means, "not allciambellecome out with a hole." My grandmother always made hers in the shape of a loaf—it was no less delicious for it, and that is how I still prefer to make it.
Ingredients
Serves 8
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F on the regular bake setting
Step 2
2. Put the flour, sugar, milk, and 2 eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Add the baking powder and salt, taking care not to put one on top of the other or the salt may inhibit the action of the baking powder. Cut the butter into at least a dozen pieces. Add the butter and lemon zest to the other ingredients and pulse until a dough forms.
Step 3
3. Transfer the dough to a counter and knead it gently until you obtain a smooth ball. Shape the dough into a loaf about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide. Place it on a baking sheet that has been buttered and floured or lined with a nonstick baking mat. Place the egg yolk in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons water, and whisk. Make 4 or 5 shallow diagonal cuts on top of the dough and brush the surface with the yolk mixture.
Step 4
4. Bake for 35 minutes. Theciambellais ready when it is golden brown and feels fairly firm when prodded.
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Reviews (5)
Back to TopI’m wondering why others find the dough too crumbly to work with and offer this: I make it in the food processor, dump it on the table and knead it til it comes together. This is important. Then I make an 18 inch tube, join the ends to form a ring and flatten it a bit. Make a few cuts with knife cans brush with egg/ water mixture. I even forgot the 2 T of milk once and it still cane together! It’s worth mastering, so I hope this helps!
Nancy
Maine
4/3/2022
I had the same experience as Louise. I looked at the recipe and said - how will this stay together? What liquid? But, I went ahead and tried it anyway and ended up with a pan full of crumbs. I looked up other “ciambella” recipes and they use 1 cup milk to 3 cups flour. I will try a ciambella again but not using this recipe.
MarcelleK
Philadelphia
4/3/2021
The mixture is so dry I dont see how I can kneed it or form it into a loaf. I checked and rechecked the ingredients and I added all the liquid: 2 Tbsp milk, 2 large eggs. 12 TBsp butter. Am I missing something?
louise.irismom5594
pennsylvania, USA
1/19/2020
I 'be made this versîon and also Marcella's (his mother) from the classic Essentials of Italian Cooking. This one has less flour, more butter, and I think I prefer it. It has a dry crumbly texture and isn't overly sweet. Great with tea or coffee, I especially like it for breakfast. I make a 2 inch tube shape and form it in to a traditional ring shape. I cut it after it cool s and freeze it so I can take a piece or two out any time. Addictive.
Nd78
Maine
6/9/2017
This has a great flavor and is delicious..However it is somewhat dry to the taste..Any way to make it a little less dry?
Daneeka
Plaistow, NH
6/23/2012
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