Zelten alla Bolzanese

Although the Zelten contain yeast, they are not breads, for they do not have the open crumb characteristic of a yeast-risen dough. The texture of the Zelten is that of a rich fruitcake, and the bread dough serves only to bind all the diverse elements together.

A cross between Panforte di Siena and an English fruitcake, Zelten are the traditional Christmas dessert in the Alto Adige, Italy’s only official German-speaking r