Torcolo di San Costanzo · Torcolo di San Costanzo (Perugia)
Umbria · dolce · serves 12 · 240 min total · medium
The dolce of San Costanzo, patron saint of Perugia, baked across the city for his feast on 29 January. Sold at every panificio along Corso Vannucci. The five cuts on top are said to represent the five medieval gates of Perugia — Porta San Pietro, Porta Sant'Angelo, Porta Sole, Porta Eburnea, Porta Susanna. The Vin Santo and aniseed pairing is the Umbrian fingerprint.
Ingredients
- 500 g 00 flour
- 12 g fresh yeast
- 150 ml warm milk
- 120 g sugar
- 80 g soft butter
- 2 eggs eggs
- 1 pinch pinch of salt
- 120 g sultanas, soaked
- 60 g pine nuts
- 80 g candied citron, diced
- 1 tbsp aniseed
- 1 orange orange zest
- 40 ml Vin Santo or sweet wine
- 1 yolk egg yolk for brushing
- 3 tbsp pearl sugar (granella)
Method
- Dissolve yeast in the warm milk with 1 tsp sugar. Stand 10 minutes until foamy.
- Mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, orange zest. Add the milk-yeast, eggs, Vin Santo. Knead 10 minutes. Work in the soft butter piece by piece until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: covered, in a warm spot, 2 hours until doubled.
- Knock back. Fold in the drained sultanas, pine nuts, candied citron and aniseed — distribute evenly without tearing the dough.
- Shape into a long rope about 50 cm. Bring the ends together to form a ring. Place on a lined baking sheet.
- With kitchen scissors, snip the ring on top in five places — five cuts, evenly spaced around the ring. Each cut should go about a third of the way through. The five gashes are the symbol of the dolce — they recall the five gates of medieval Perugia.
- Second rise: 1 hour, until visibly puffed.
- Brush with egg yolk thinned with a splash of milk. Scatter pearl sugar generously.
- Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 40–45 minutes — deep gold and hollow-sounding underneath.
- Cool completely on a rack. Slice thick. Best on day two, with Vin Santo.