1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
3/4 cup (1/8 liter) water
peel of 1 orange
peel of 1 lemon
1-1/4 cups (300 grams) orange juice
1/4 cup (50 grams) lemon juice
3/4 cup (165 grams) Banfi Brut

Stir sugar, water and fruit peels in small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove fruit peels. Add the orange juice, lemon juice and Banfi Brut and transfer to a freezer tray or ice cream machine. Serve slightly softened.

Serves 4-6

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Pizza Dolce (Castello Banfi)

Here is a simple recipe for a sweet bread-like dessert that is a light and tasty conclusion to any meal!

2-1/4 lbs (1 kilo) flour
1 packet yeast
1 cup (250 grams) warm water
2 oz (50 grams) plus 2 tablepoons sugar
2 oz (50 grams) raisins softened in warm water
3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Dissolve the yeast in the cup of warm water, then blend with the flour to form a dough and knead thoroughly. Let rise for one hour, then beat down, adding the 2 oz (50 grams) each of sugar and raisins (drained) plus olive oil. Stretch out onto a baking sheet previously coated with oil, add some more olive oil and 2 tablespoons sugar, then bake for 15 minutes at 400°F/200°C.

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Soft Chocolate Cake (Ristorante Boccon DiVino, Montalcino)

1 cup (250 grams) melting chocolate
1 cup (250 grams) butter
1 cup (250 grams) sugar
6 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 packet of Vanillina*

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler with the butter. Whip the egg yolks and add the melted chocolate, flour, vanillina and mix well. Whip the egg whites and incorporate into the cream. Place in a buttered cake pan and bake for 45 minutes at 355°F/180°C. Serve with confectioner's sugar and a sprinkling of caramel. Suggested wine pairing: Castello Banfi Moscadello di Montalcino.

* Vanillina , a leavening agent that adds a delicate vanilla flavor and fragrance, can be found in Italian specialty stores or ordered on the web at www.ethnicgrocer.com under the brand name Pane Degli Angeli ($17.99 for a package of 10 individual packets).

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Torta di Banane e Cocco (Ristorante Boccon DiVino, Montalcino)

3-1/2 oz (100 grams) coconut
2-3 bananas
4 oz (125 grams) plain yogurt
3 eggs
1/4 cup (100 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (100 grams) cane sugar
2-1/2 oz (70 grams) butter
3/4 cup (165 grams) flour
2 oz (50 grams) almonds
one packet yeast
grated peel of one lemon

Peel and slice the bananas. Place all the other ingredients in a blender for a few minutes. Place the mix in a greased baking pan, and arrange the bananas on top and sprinkle with cane sugar. Bake for 40 minutes at 355°F/180°C. Suggested wine pairing: Castello Banfi Moscadello di Montalcino.

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FloruS Pan Di Spagna with Candied Kumquats

Serves 12
Active time: 1 ¼ hr
Start to finish: 1 ¾ hr

1 ¼ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one orange
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For candied kumquats
1 cup water
1 cup Golden Baker’s sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups fresh kumquats (3/4 lb without leaves),
1 kumquat (left whole) reserved for Moscadello syrup and
remainder halved lengthwise (quartered if large)
and seeds discarded

For Moscadello syrup
1 ½ cups FloruS
6 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 kumquat, removed with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds, toasted

Special equipment: a 10- by 2-inch round cake pan
Garnish: confectioners sugar

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pan. Line bottom of pan with a round of wax paper or parchment, then butter paper. Dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together flour and salt. Beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange zest with an electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and thick enough to form a ribbon that takes 2 seconds to dissolve when beater is lifted, 7 to 8 minutes in a standing mixer or 14 to 16 minutes with a handheld.

Resift flour mixture, one third at a time, over batter, folding in gently but thoroughly with a rubber spatula after each addition. Stir together butter and about ¾ cup batter in a small bowl until combined, then fold butter mixture into batter gently but thoroughly.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer cake in pan to a rack, then run a thin knife between cake and side of pan and cool cake, about 20 minutes. Invert cake onto a platter with a lip and peel off paper.

Make candied kumquats while cake bakes:
Bring water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Add kumquats and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer kumquats to a heatproof bowl using a slotted spoon, then boil syrup until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 3 to 7 minutes. Pour over kumquats.

Make Moscadello syrup while cake cools:
Bring FloruS, sugar, and zest to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard zest.

Prepare cake for serving:
Prick top of cake all over with wooden pick or skewer, then brush or pour Moscadello syrup, little by little, evenly over cake, letting syrup be absorbed before each new addition.

Mound kumquats on cake using slotted spoon, then sprinkle with almonds. Serve remaining kumquat syrup on the side.

Cook’s note:
• Cake can be made and cooled (but not soaked with syrup or topped with fruit and almonds) 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• Candied kumquats can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Moscadello syrup can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Cake can be soaked with syrup 6 hours before serving and kept at room temperature, covered with an inverted large bowl or a cake keeper.

Serving Suggestions: An ideal accompaniment to FloruS Moscadello di Montalcino

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Dark Chocolate Shortbread

Makes 16 Cookies
Active time: 15 min
Start to finish: 1 hr

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
a scant ¼ cup Golden Baker’s light brown sugar (or superfine granulated sugar)
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Blend butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl with a fork until combined well. Sift flour and cocoa into butter mixture and blend with fork just until mixture forms a soft dough.

Divide dough in half and pat out with floured fingertips into 2 (6- to 6 ½ inch) rounds on an ungreased large baking sheet. Chill dough, uncovered, until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F while dough chills.

Prick dough all over with fork and bake shortbreads in middle of oven until centers are dry to the touch and edges are slightly darker, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes, then cut each shortbread into 8 wedges with a large heavy knife. Transfer to rack to cool.

Cook’s note: Shortbread keeps, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

Serving suggestion: Top with “crema” flavored gelato or a good quality vanilla icecream, doused with Banfi Salsa Balsamica Etrusca, and garnish with raspberries and blueberries. A wonderful accompaniment to Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui!

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SALSA BALSAMICA ETRUSCA IN CUISINE

In the use of Balsamica in cooking two main rules should be considered: unprocessed, it is very "individualist" (it easily covers other condiments), whereas on cooked foods, tradition calls for Balsamica almost always last in the sequence of the ingredients foreseen in a recipe. Balsamica enhances the flavors of single ingredients and enriches the following dish which is superbly accompanied by Castello Banfi Moscadello di Montalcino. Your own imagination will provide the rest!


Sorbetto Tulipano con frutta caramellata (tulip sorbet with caramelized fruit)

3-1/2 oz (100 grams) egg whites
1/4 cup (100 grams) sugar
3-1/2 oz (100 grams) melted butter
1/3 cup (75 grams) flour
Seasonal fruit
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tsp. Salsa Balsamica
1 Tbsp. Castello Banfi Moscadello di Montalcino
Sorbet

Blend egg whites well with the sugar. Then add the sifted flour, and the tepid melted butter. Butter the baking sheet, spread the batter with a spoon to a disk of 1/3 inch (12-15 cm) diameter. Bake in oven at 400°F(200°C) until the mixture becomes golden, but is still malleable. Take out immediately and shape by laying over a reversed glass or small cup. Let cool. Slice seasonal fruit. Dissolve on low heat 2 Tsp. of sugar and 2 Tsp. water. Add the sliced fruit and sprinkle with Moscadello di Montalcino and Salsa Balsamica. Put the warm fruit on the dish around the tulip and place the sorbet in the tulip. Suggested wine pairing: Castello Banfi Moscadello di Montalcino.

Serves 4

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