Bisciola Valtellina Fig and Walnut Sweet Bread

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Medium

Bisciola Valtellina Fig and Walnut Sweet Bread

A dense, domed sweet bread packed with dried figs, raisins, walnuts and hazelnuts, scored with a cross and baked until deep golden. A little rye flour gives a nutty, rustic flavor. Makes 10 slices in about 3 hr 25 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 2 hr

Total 3 hr 25 min

Yield 10 slices

Ingredients

Adjust yield

slices

1 ⅔ cups (200 g)dried figs, chopped
3 ½ oz (100 g)sultanas
¼ cup (60 ml)grappa or warm tea
¾ cup (100 g)walnuts, coarsely chopped
7 tbsp (50 g)hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
6 tbsp (50 g)rye flour
¼ cup (60 g)light brown sugar
½ tsp (3 g)salt
3 ½ tbsp (50 g)unsalted butter, softened
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
7 tbsp (100 ml)whole milk, lukewarm
1 tbsp (20 g)honey
2 tsp (4 g)lemon zest
1 (50 g)egg, for the dough
1 (50 g)egg, beaten, for brushing, for the to finish

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Instructions

Soak the figs and sultanas in the grappa or warm tea for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Drain well.
Mix both flours, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add the butter, milk, honey, zest and egg and knead to a soft, sticky dough, about 6 minutes.
Work in the nuts, then the drained fruit, until evenly distributed. The dough will be sticky.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 hours, until grown by about a third.
Shape into a dome on a parchment-lined sheet and cut a cross in the top. Brush with beaten egg.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake 15 minutes, then lower to 350 F (175 C) and bake about 30 minutes more, until deep golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool completely before slicing.

Tips

Drain the fruit thoroughly or the dough will be too wet.
Cover with foil if the top darkens too fast.
It improves after a day wrapped.
Good with coffee, grappa or sweet wine.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make bisciola valtellina fig and walnut sweet bread?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours to chill. The recipe makes 10 slices.

How should I store bisciola valtellina fig and walnut sweet bread?

Wrap and keep at room temperature up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months.

Can I make bisciola valtellina fig and walnut sweet bread ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Bisciola is a sweet fruited bread from the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, made with rye and white flour, dried figs and walnuts. Serve it with coffee, grappa or sweet wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

353 Calories / serving

15.4g Fat

45.8g Carbs

7.6g Protein

18.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3530 cal · 154g fat · 458g carbs · 76g protein · 183g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.