Spelt Biscotti

As I was saying in my previous post, the holiday season gets me all kinds of excited for baking. Since I can remember, the lead up to Christmas has meant days and days of baking. I may not embrace every Christmas tradition, but where my efforts lack, I make up in the kitchen! Forget about presents and decorations (note to self: need to put up Christmas tree), food is definitely what Christmas is all about for me.

It probably has something to do with the many long summer days spent at my Nonna’s making tables full of biscotti, crostoli and pizzelli in the lead up to Christmas. As we would plough through tray after tray of these delicious biscuits, Mum and I would replicate these baking days to ensure there were sufficient biscotti to sustain us through the holidays. So it’s no surprise that when the holiday season rolls around I’m craving the Italian sweets and treats that have forever been a Christmas staple. Time to enjoy homemade feasts in the company of loved ones – pure happiness.

Although my low FODMAP diet hasn’t stopped the over-indulging and quality time with family, it has hindered some special Christmas traditions, like baking Nonna’s biscotti recipes. But even worse than that – not eating Panetone! The smell alone takes me back to the days when I considered eating plain panetone smeared with margarine and a sprinkle icing sugar the perfect and most delicious breakfast – one I indulged in daily throughout the summer season. I’d always get my own massive panetone because I was too fussy to eat any that had dried fruit or custard in it. Having not yet found a panetone solution (this is still a touchy subject for me), I am proud to say however, that I have a biscotti solution! And Mum has nailed the crostoli.