The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2025 - Issue 38

bitegifts C arluccio’s Christmas arrives each year with an invitation to slow down, savour, and celebrate the Italian way. When Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio opened their first Neal Street deli in 1991, their mission was not only to sell food but also to share the flavours, stories and craftsmanship of Italy with a British audience hungry for authenticity. The small London shop became the foundation of a brand that would grow into a national institution, with the first Carluccio’s Caffè opening in 1999 and expanding across the UK in the years that followed. Yet despite its growth, the heart of the brand re‑ mains rooted in Antonio’s philosophy: MOF MOF (minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour). That ethos is woven through the Carluccio’s Christmas Collec‑ tion, a festive celebration of Italy’s finest producers and time‑hon‑ oured recipes. Each product is sourced with the same meticulous care Antonio and Priscilla applied when they hand‑wrote labels for their Neal Street shelves. The result is a range that feels luxuri‑ ous and deeply personal, crafted for gifting, sharing, or indulging at home. No Italian Christmas is complete without panettone, and for more than two decades, Carluccio’s has entrusted the same Italian bak‑ ers to craft its award‑winning range according to an authentic recipe. This year’s standout is the new Panettone Ciliegia di Ma‑ rostica IGP e Mirtilli, baked in Veneto and bejewelled with local ICP Marostica cherries and tart cranberries for a vibrant festive flavour. It joins beloved favourites, including Tradizionale, the star of Christmas in Italy and at Carluccio’s, made with dried fruit, can‑ died peel, and iced with a hazelnut glaze. The indulgent Ciocco‑ lato is made with generous pieces of milk and dark chocolate and iced with a hazelnut glaze. Limoncello is coated in white choco‑ late, seeded with candied lemon peel, and filled with a zesty li‑ moncello liqueur. Crema Zabaione is an indulgent Italian egg custard infused with Marsala wine, topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate and a sprinkling of milk chocolate flakes. The elegant Milano, an un‑ glazed panettone with sultanas and candied peel, traditional Ital‑ ian gluten-free Christmas cake Senza Glutine, and the buttery, star‑shaped Pandoro Classico (Golden Bread) round out the col‑ lection. Beyond panettone, the 2025 Christmas range showcases Italy’s regional dolci traditions. New Tuscan Panforte Datteri e Man‑ dorle and Panforte Fichi e Noci bring dense, spiced richness to the table. Both are made with exotic spices; the first with pressed dates, candied peel, and almonds, and the second is indulged with pressed dried figs, walnuts, and honey. The Pandolce di Genova, crafted exclusively for Carluccio’s by one of Italy’s oldest confec‑ tioners, offers a fragrant blend of orange flower water, Marsala wine, raisins, pine nuts and anise seeds. Calabrian craftsmanship shines in the Tozzetti Calabrese con Clementine and Amaretti ai Gusti. The first is a traditional biscot‑ ti with candied clementine, handcrafted in Consent, Calabria. The second has soft almond biscuits flavoured with orange and lemon, handcrafted in a three-generation family bakery in Chianciano to Signore Jole’s original recipe.