European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 05, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I t a i y pretty pastries Promise m e i to in to u a to u to goodness to Francesco Esposito puts the finishing touches on a doll topped cake. Is Davo Casoy by sue Palumbo _ Mediterranean Bureau 1 it s not enough for italian Holiday treats to be water singly Sweet. They must also be pretty enough 16 eat ". " v "."?" " " Vav a it must be a pleasing spectacle for the Eye or people won t Stop Long enough to taste them said Frances Cor Esposito a master Baker in a Small bakery in arc Felice a suburb of Naples. R / " Esposito earned the title of  after working at his Trade for More than 20 years. He also teaches pastries in a Well known cooking school in Sorrento ,.near Naples.-. A u most seasonal italian treats Are made to last for several weeks because the italian Holiday season begins dec. 8 and does t end until after Befana on Jan. 6. Pasta Reale tiny sugary treats shaped and coloured like fruit and brushed with sugar Are popular Holiday fare. Made with crushed almonds Honey flour sugar and a touch of Orange juice these no bake pastries remain fresh for As Long As two months at a Cool temperature. Paula. I Reale is very Sweet and virtually melts in your Mouth. The shaping of the fruit is the most important step in making paste Rene said Esposito. A Strawberry must. Look like a perfect Juicy red Strawberry a banana must. Look like a Bright yellow Ripe banana a it takes years of practice to Mold a Lump of dough into a Bright red Apple but Esposito does a tray of 50 in a matter of minutes each fruit is then brushed with food. Colouring and egg White mixture and sprinkled with sugar. A Green Candy Leaf adds in extra measure of  the Way a pastry looks May get people in the door it s the taste that keeps them coming Back. Most italians begin shopping for Holiday pastries several Ecks in Advance. Many  shop to shop sampling swifts until they find the shop whose pastries and Price fit their  they la conic by three or four times to taste and compare said luisa.,Carnevale, who Orv the bakery  they decide they like it they May easily spend $50 or More on Small pastries the first time and May even come Back for  r other favorite Holiday treats Are Rococo a Brittle cookie Musta Coli a Triangle shaped cookie covered with chocolate to a chewy cookie covered in White Glaze Costatina made with Ricotta cheese and sugar Botticini another chocolate favorite and a Taufoli which Are tiny balls of dough covered in Honey. Cakes  a must for the holidays. Everything from elaborate dolls with a huge Bell shaped dress made of cake and piled Hig Ruvitch creamy frosting to the traditional trunk cake. Shaped like a trunk of a tree they Are pure italian chocolate and Are a favorite for new year s. " " two versions Are offered below the first is european style the second  pasta Realf 200 Grams crushed manhole almonds juice from /2 of an Orange 10 Grams of Honey 200 Grams of sugar 2 egg Whites 15 Grams of milk mix All ingredients Well and form fruit shades. Color with food colouring diluted with water and let dry. Sprinkle liberally with sugar Marzipan fruits 2 cups canned Almond paste 4 egg Whites t 2 cups confectioner sugar knead Almond paste with egg Whites and add confectioner s sugar until dough is stiff. Divide dough into sections to use for different colors or do Only one Type of fruit at a time. Color by kneading food colouring into dough or paint with diluted food colouring. To cover with a Glossy sugar Glaze Cook 4vt cups of sugar with 1 cup water until sugar dissolves and Candy thermometer reads 223 f degrees. Remove from heat but do not stir. Let stand undisturbed until Cool and ready to spoon Over fruits. Candies make a tempting display. Is. Davo Casoy a Baker completes a banana shaped treat. Is Pavo Casoy 5, 79v5 stripes mjg be