The December Cook-Along: twice the festive fun
Bake panforte live with me - a festive preview open to all - then join our Tuscan Christmas feast on Sunday 14th
This month, we’re getting into the Christmas spirit with not one but two joyful kitchen gatherings.
First, we’ll meet for a free live session, open to everyone here on Substack, to make panforte, the wonderfully spiced Sienese cake. I’ve shared the recipe below with all the ingredients you’ll need if you’d like to bake along with me. But if you prefer, you’re just as welcome to join us for a chat, talk about Tuscan Christmas treats, and pick up a little holiday baking inspiration.
Then, in our second cook-along on Zoom – exclusively for paid subscribers – we’ll prepare a Tuscan Christmas menu together: three recipes (plus a bonus treat for the cook!), from starter to dessert, all made in about an hour, perfect for a cosy dinner with friends. Expect a menu that’s comforting, vibrant, and made to be shared.
The December Cook-Along: Not One, But Two!
🎄 A festive preview: live panforte baking session
Thursday, December 11th on Substack
🕘 6:00 pm CET | 5:00 pm GMT | 12:00 pm EST | 9:00 am PST
This Thursday, I’ll be going live here on Substack to make panforte, the dense Sienese Christmas cake packed with nuts, candied citrus peel, and warming spices. You’re all warmly invited to join me in the kitchen!
It’s the perfect chance to get a little preview of what our cook-alongs are like: casual, cosy, and full of seasonal flavour.
Click here to join the livestream.
And for the occasion, I’ve unlocked the full panforte recipe (click here to get it) – so if you’d like to cook along with me, you absolutely can.
🎄 And if you enjoy the panforte live session, why not join us for more?
If you like baking along with me, come and discover the full experience: monthly cook-alongs, exclusive recipes, behind-the-scenes stories, and a growing archive of seasonal Italian dishes. And we’ll have some new features for the new year, too.
This week only, you can join as a paid subscriber with 25% off. Our special Christmas offer is valid until Sunday, 14th December.
Let’s keep cooking together all year round!
The second festive menu: a Tuscan Christmas feast
(You can find the recording and the recipes for the first festive menu here)
Sunday, December 14th on Zoom (link below the paywall)
🕘 9:00 pm CET | 8:00 pm GMT | 3:00 pm EST | 12:00 pm PST
We’ll be making a Tuscan kale pesto together, dark green, nutty, slightly bitter, and we’ll use it to dress a bowl of pasta with crispy guanciale, as well as to top a crostone with hard-boiled eggs and anchovies. Then, we’ll grill a head of radicchio for a seasonal salad with walnuts and cheese. Finally, we’ll bake my favourite olive oil chocolate cake, made festive with clementines and almond flour.
This session is exclusively for paid subscribers. Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, a recording of the class will be available to all paid subscribers afterwards.
Did you know that, as a paid subscriber, you have access to the full archive of recorded sessions? It’s like having your very own course in Italian cooking, with nearly 20 hours of recipes, tips and tricks, ingredient insights, and behind-the-scenes stories – all ready and waiting for you.
✨Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been with us since the beginning, I’m so glad you’re here.✨
💬 Let me know in the comments, and if you haven’t yet, subscribe to unlock the full experience: the three detailed recipes, the live Cook-Along link, a printable prep sheet, and the class recording.
Everything’s waiting for you just behind the paywall, including the recipes for grilled radicchio salad, Tuscan kale pesto, and chocolate and clementine cake.