The anniversary of the Day of the Dead, which is celebrated in Italy on November 2, is a deeply felt tradition that pays tribute to deceased loved ones. It has nothing to do with the more boisterous and carnival-like celebration of Halloween which falls just before, on October 31.

Actually, Halloween and the Festival of the Dead have in common the belief that the souls of the dead for one night are able to come back to life to eat what is prepared for them. It is from this ancient belief that in Italy and many other countries around the world culinary recipes were born to please the living and also the spirit of those who are gone.

Thus, in the various regions of Italy, many varieties of cakes of the dead have been created. For example, in Sicily and Calabria there is the Martorana fruit, small reproductions of various kinds of fruits made from marzipan.

In Lombardy, however, it is customary to make the cake of the dead, while in Tuscany it is customary to eat the bread with saints. There are many recipes dedicated to the Day of the Dead in Italy and they all have the same purpose: to lovingly and sweetly remember departed loved ones.

Coming to the city of Naples, the dessert par excellence on November 2 is the so-called nougat of the dead. That type of nougat, however, has nothing to do with the excellent Benevento nougat, a true delight of the Sannio region.

In fact, it is a soft nougat which has a less hard inner texture than classic nougats as it almost melts in the mouth.

The history of nougat of the dead

Nougat of the dead, also known as neapolitan soft nougat, is a typical Day of the Dead sweet specialty and is easily recognized by its rectangular shape.

The appearance of Neapolitan nougat is particularly evocative in that the tile is supposed to resemble a miniature coffin, also given the dark brown color of dark chocolate. Not surprisingly, it is also called O murticiell'.

In pastry shops it is sold in pieces and differs from traditional nougat in that its interior does not include honey but only hazelnuts and lots of chocolate.

Today, nougat of the dead is made in many different variations involving the addition of coffee beans, candied fruit, almonds, puffed rice, coconut and more. At the same time, the outer shell can be made with milk chocolate or white chocolate.

Therefore, Neapolitan nougat has a much softer and creamier texture and just the richness of tastes and ingredients make it so beloved by young and old alike. The origin of this soft nougat is still unknown and little is known about it.

According to ancient Bell customs, near the Feast of the Dead the best room in the house was prepared in memory of the deceased with a dinner of two slices of bread, salt, lemon and a glass of water.

More recent, however, is the custom of some children going to the graves of departed loved ones to leave a cake or piece of nougat, almost as if to comfort the journey to the afterlife and stigmatize the fear of death.

On the other hand, the same commemoration of the dead is very much felt in Naples, so much so that the city cemeteries are stormed on November 2. Not surprisingly, Neapolitans for a long time have been devoted to the worship of 'pezzentelle souls' at the Church of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio in Arco on Via dei Tribunali.

A Baroque church from the late seventeenth century, the hypogeum was intended for the burial of poor and family-less people, pezzentelle in fact.

Here one could take a skull, make a shrine out of it and pray for the soul to pass from purgatory to eternal salvation. The macabre ritual was then banned since 1969, but the church's reputation is still intact today.

Meanwhile, on the Day of the Dead, the historic center is teeming with stalls and booths selling the mouthwatering soft nougat in every possible flavor combination.

Nougat of the dead: how to make it at home

Like any traditional recipe, there are many different variations of nougat of the dead as well. The dessert can be served at the end of a meal as a dessert or as a snack for children.

Alternatively, it is a great gift idea to wrap and give as a present. The one we propose is the classic version, as our grandmothers used to make it.

To make Neapolitan nougat you will need the dawn cream, a mixture of vegetable fats and sugar typical of Campania, which is not always easy to find in supermarkets. In any case, it can be substituted with some hazelnut cream.

Another very important aspect for the success of the cake is the choice of the mould. The advice is to use a professional polycarbonate mold, which is indicated precisely for nougat. If you do not have one, a silicone mold for plumcakes will also do.

Let's look at the ingredients and quantities for a Neapolitan soft nougat tile from 24×10 cm:

• 300 g. dark chocolate
• 350 g. of white chocolate
• 100 g. milk chocolate
• 350 g. hazelnut cream
• 250 g. hazelnuts

The first thing to do is to make the shell that will coat the nougat of the dead. Chop 100 g dark chocolate and melt it in a double boiler over a low flame. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Now you should temper the chocolate to give the nougat a nice shiny appearance. In case you skip this step, you will end up with a tile that simply looks more opaque.

The method of tempering chocolate faster is with the microwave. Simply place 2/3 of the chocolate you need in the microwave at 500 W and stir every 30 seconds. Once melted, add in the remaining part and mix until it reaches a temperature of 31°C.

With well-tempered fondant brush the inside of the mold With half the amount you have. Cover well to the edges and rotate the container several times. Then make a second pass so that the shell is thicker.

At this point the mold will need to sit in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. Meanwhile you wait, toast hazelnuts in a pan for a couple of minutes. Remove them from the stove and let them cool. Now chop white chocolate and milk chocolate and melt them in a double boiler.

When you have a thick and smooth cream, add the hazelnut cream, stir well and remove from the heat. Finally, pour in the hazelnuts and mix everything together. Take the mold back out of the refrigerator and check that the inside is firm and hardened.

Pour in the chocolate and hazelnut mixture when cold and level the surface with a spatula. Place the nougat in the refrigerator and make cool for 40 minutes At the bottom, which is the coldest part.

In the meantime, melt the remaining 200 g. of dark chocolate and temper it. When it is cold you will need to pour it over the nougat and with a spatula fill in the corners and any gaps.

To finish, Put the nougat of the dead in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours. After this time has elapsed, it will be ready to be unmolded. Use a knife to peel off the glued edges and invert the mold onto a tray. The operation will be even easier if you have used a silicone container.

Before serving your Neapolitan soft nougat, let it rest for 15 minutes. Enjoy!