Torta di Riso Bolognese (Italian Bologna Rice Cake) Story of the Dish Torta di Riso Bolognese, traditionally known as Torta degli Addobbi, is one of Bologna’s historic desserts. It is connected with the Festa degli Addobbi and ceremonial family cooking. The cake is built from rice cooked slowly in milk, eggs, sugar, almonds and citrus rather than a standard flour batter. Its correct texture is dense and creamy, and it improves after several hours of rest. Recipe Information D

Castagnole all'Alchermes (Italian Alchermes Carnival Fritters) Castagnole all'Alchermes are little fried spheres of soft, lemon scented dough, rolled in sugar and lacquered with the crimson liqueur of Florence. They fill the pastry counters of central Italy from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday, and they disappear faster than anyone can make them. Crisp outside, tender inside and scented with citrus and spice, they are the easiest fried dessert to master. Yield: about 30 castagnole,

Certosino di Bologna, the honey, spice and candied fruit cake also called panspeziale (Italian Bolognese Christmas Cake) Certosino is not a cake for tonight. It is baked in early December, glazed with honey, wrapped and left alone until Christmas. There is no butter, no egg and no real leavening in it, only honey, spice, cocoa, almonds and candied fruit, all of them keepers. Yield: 12 servings, one 9 inch (23 cm) round. Prep: 35 minutes. Cook: 50 minutes. Maturation: 2 to 4 w