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Ciambelline al mosto (alcohol-free ring biscuits)
Grape juice ring biscuits
Crunchy Roman olive-oil ring biscuits made with red grape juice and crusted in sugar
All over Lazio, from the Castelli Romani to the countryside around Rome, these sugar-crusted ring biscuits are put out at the end of a meal and at the autumn grape harvest, when they are dunked into a glass to soften. The classic dough is made with equal measures of liquid, olive oil and sugar; here the liquid is red grape juice, which is close to the fresh mosto of harvest time and gives the same pinkish crumb and fruity edge with no alcohol at all. The rings are crunchy and light, a little crumbly, with a crackly sugar coat and a hint of aniseed. Serve them with grape juice, coffee or a pot of tea for dunking. They are naturally egg-free: the olive oil and juice bind the flour into a smooth dough, and baking powder does the lifting that eggs might do elsewhere. Chef's tip: roll the ropes no thicker than a pencil and a half, about 1 cm; the common mistake is chunky ropes, which brown outside before the middle dries and leave the biscuits hard instead of crisp.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 4 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp aniseed (optional)lightly crushed
- ½ cup red grape juiceunsweetened
- ½ cup olive oilmild
To coat
- 2 ⅞ oz granulated sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, 4 ½ oz caster sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt and 1 tsp aniseed, if using, in a large bowl.
Step 3: Make a well, pour in ½ cup red grape juice and ½ cup olive oil and stir with a fork, then knead for 2–3 minutes into a smooth, soft dough that feels oily but does not stick to your hands.
3 minStep 4: Pinch off 30 g pieces and roll each into a rope about 14 cm long and 1 cm thick. Bring the ends together and press to seal into a ring.
Step 5: Tip 2 ⅞ oz granulated sugar onto a plate and press the top of each ring into it so it is well crusted, then set it sugar side up on the tray, 3 cm apart.
Step 6: Bake for 20–22 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the tops are pale gold with the sugar crackled.
21 minStep 7: Cool completely on the tray; they crisp as they cool. Store in a tin for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 165 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ciambelline al mosto (alcohol-free ring biscuits) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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