HomeBlog Food What is Buccellato di Lucca? Ancient Bread Recipe
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Updated on July 27, 2023January 13, 202213 Comments on What is Buccellato di Lucca? Ancient Bread Recipe
Buccellato di Lucca is from the Tuscan region and particularly – the city of Lucca. The bread is made with raisins, and it used to be the favorite of the Roman army.
Shaped in the form of a ring or a loaf, this ancient bread is different than other bread. The distinctive anise flavor is prevalent and adds a good flavor to the bread. This bread is just slightly sweet, filled with raisins, and while soft inside, and has a crisp crust.
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Buccellato bread is particularly made for the Holy Cross Day in September and enjoyed after the mass. Enjoy it with a glass of Vin Santo or toast leftovers for breakfast.
We always take visitors to our favorite bakery, pasticceria, in Piazza San Michelle, Fabbrica Taddeucci to try a loaf. Other places in Lucca make the bread – just slightly different. One particular place chops the raisins very finely and has a softer crust. It’s good, just not our favorite. You can find them here.
Ancient Bread Recipe – Buccellato di Lucca?
Course: BreadCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium
Prep time
1
hour
30
minutes
Cooking time
40
minutes
Buccellato bread is an ancient bread and favorite of the Romans when visiting Lucca in Tuscany.
Ingredients
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed anise seeds or fennel powder
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup Golden and regular raisins
Directions
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, fennel powder and yeast
Add milk and butter and mix to make a soft dough
Add raisins and knead the dough for 5 – 10 minutes until elastic and smooth
Cover and set aside until double in volume. This will depend on the weather but could be at least an hour
Punch it down and roll it into a log, or you can make it into a circle shape
For a round shape – grease a baking sheet and place the rolled log on it and bring the sides together to form a ring. Pinch them together. Place a small bowl (like a pyrex dessert bowl) in the center and let the bread rise – covered – for about 15 minutes.
For a log shape – grease a baking sheet and place the loaf in the center. Let bread rise – covered – for about 15 minutes.
While the Buccellato bread is in the final proving, preheat the oven to 200° C
Optional: You can choose to glaze the bread or not. I love the dark color it provides so I usually do it. Can use a combination of a beaten egg with a little milk or sugar and water. I prefer the egg with a little milk.
Using a sharp knife, score the bread on top for either shape
Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the top is golden.
Remove from oven, and cool the bread on a wire rack before slicing
Very interesting article! So this bread is what kept the Romans winning their battles! I knew some Tuscan bread is made without salt (and I believe still is today) but had not heard of this sweet bread before.
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Such a cute comment, Kathryn!! Thanks.
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Thank you for the recipe! My wife and I had buccellato for the first time on the recommendation of our hosts. We purchased ours from Pasticceria da Sara and it was delicious. Our second trip, was a purchase from Taddeucci’s and it was delicious as well.
Your recipe is slightly different than the one I have (a bit more salt, and made in a ring not a loaf) so I will need to give it a try. Thank you for posting – hoping to be back in Lucca later this year.
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Thank you Angelo for the comment! It is a unique flavor – that’s for sure! Send a photo if you make it!!
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My Grandmother was from Lucca and always made buccellato. We always called it Easter bread. Always made in a ring and no rasins. I still make her recipe. It was never written down like so many other wonderful that came from her kitchen. Buccellato was the one thing I helped with. We still have it at Easter
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How amazing! Love hearing family stories like this. Thank you for commenting and sharing!
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Hi Joanne! Does your Grandmothers recipe mention anything about soaking the fruit in an anise liquor? We had buccellato in Lucca but haven’t managed to get the same aniseed taste. My fellow traveller recalled being told the fruit was soaked in anise liquor.
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I hope Emma you wanted the comment on our blog post and not responding to a comment on social media. Let us know and we can remove your comment here. I must have missed Joanne’s comment about her Grandmother!
Hi. Just was wanting to know if anyone knew about soaking the fruit in anise liquor before making the bread. No need to remove comment. Someone might see and know the answer. 😉
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Delicious! My husband and I visited Lucca in October and we saw this bread in the Pasticceria bakery window. I took a photo to bring home in hopes of making it. It was a fun thing to do, to enjoy the bread and to remember our wonderful time there.
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Thanks for the wonderful comment! It is indeed delicious and a treat. There are many places that sell it and everyone has their favorites!
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Do you use instant yeast mixed in with the dry ingredients?
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