Reindeer Pavesini

Reindeer Pavesini are fun reindeer-shaped treats that can be easily prepared with Pavesini, well-known light and crunchy Italian cookies. They are ideal to make during the Christmas season to entertain children and decorate the holiday table. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• Pavesini
• Dark chocolate
• Licorice sticks
• Red Smarties (or another type of red candy for the nose)
• Sugar eyes (you can find them in baking supply stores)

Preparation

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, being careful not to burn it.
2. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, use it to make the eyes and mouth of your reindeer Pavesini. You can use a toothpick for more precision.
3. Apply two sugar eyes on the upper part of the cookie, using a bit of melted chocolate as glue.
4. Cut the licorice sticks into pieces to create the antlers and attach them to the upper part of the cookie, above the eyes, always using melted chocolate to fix them.
5. Finally, place a red Smartie in the center of the cookie, in the lower part, to make the reindeer’s nose.
6. Let the chocolate set before serving.

Fun Facts

Pavesini were born in 1948 in Novara by Pavesi (now part of the Barilla Group), which made them famous throughout Italy. Their simplicity and versatility make them perfect for Christmas sweet preparations, especially for the little ones. The reindeer figure is traditionally linked to Christmas and Santa Claus stories, and these reindeer-shaped treats will surely make everyone smile.

An Italian variation on this Christmas treat could be the use of crumbled nougat instead of red candies for the nose, or perhaps a gianduia chocolate glaze for a more typically Piedmontese flavor.