Catherine Bolton Jun 20, 2006:

Hi, coming back late! Anyway, it's a speciality around Lake Trasimeno (looks sorta like an eel, actually), and I've generally seen it in the winter. I think it may be an Xmas cake by the lake, but not here (I'm about 5 km from Assisi).

Nicole Johnson (asker) Jun 19, 2006:

Thanks Catherine--I had a feeling they were just sugar sprinkles. Have never seen it myself, but it sounds interesting! Is it made for any particular occasion?

Catherine Bolton Jun 19, 2006:

Hi Nicole, if you look here there's a (blurry) picture of them critters! ;-)
http://www.coquinaria.it/ubb1/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/...

Catherine Bolton Jun 19, 2006:

Hi Nicole! Yep, just plain old sprinkles (the long ones that look like little rods). It's definitely a weird-looking cake (don't like it myself) but quite popular. It really does look like a coiled snake with eyes!

Nicole Johnson (asker) Jun 19, 2006:

To Cbolton Hi Catherine--it's a recipe for "Torciglione" from a regional cookbook (Pietralunga zone) and the dessert is decorated (to look like a snake apparently) with these confetti. I also have a hard time thinking they are cinammon flavoured and thought maybe they are called cannellini because the shape is similar to the cannellini bean. Could it be? The recipe is as follows:

TORCIGLIONE

Ingredienti
500 g di mandorle sbucciate
350 g di zucchero
3 chiare montate a neve
1 buccia di limone grattugiato
pinoli, chicchi di caffè, confetti canellini
e candito cedro

Far tostare le mandorle e tritarle grossolanamente. Impastate (sulla spianatoia) prima lo zucchero con le mandorle, il limone e poi le chiare d’uovo. Lavorate molto, fino ad ottenere una pasta omogenea. Sbirlingare e procedere alla formazione di un lungo serpente decorandolo con i chicchi di caffè, il candito, i confetti canellini e i pinoli (gli occhi, la lingua, le orecchie e il dorso). Cuocete, appoggiandolo su ostia o carta da forno, in forno a 140° per 20'. Fate raffreddare e mettete un nastrino rosso intorno al collo.

Catherine Bolton Jun 19, 2006:

Hi, I live in Umbria and they don't use cinnamon in much of anything here! Can you tell us WHERE these confetti canellini go? That might give us a clue.