Africani e spumini

These are typical Easter cakes because in this period there are many eggs.

The followings are the ingredients to prepare "africani":

• an egg yolk
• a spoon of sugar
• grated lemon skin
• a pinch of cinnamon

Whisk very well the egg yolk with sugar and cinnamon, then put this mixture in a paper small mould and bake at a very low temperature. "Spumini" were called in Firenze "poppe di monaca" (it means nun's breast) while in Mugello people were used to call them "scaracchi di monaca" (it means nun's spits).

For each whisked egg white add a spoon of sugar and then bake them, but at very low temperature because the do not have to get coloured, but be white like snow.

Text Tebaldo Lorini
Picture by Kee-Ho Casati
Translated by Gianna Toni