Sbrisolona cake, the typical Mantuan dessert now known and widespread throughout Italy… a crumbly and crunchy cake, made of many delicious almond crumbs, simple and genuine. Being from Mantua myself, I have tasted it in various versions, and the one I propose here is the classic one, which is very easy to make at home. The dough is prepared by hand, and even the ingredient quantities are easy to remember. The sbrisolona is ready in a few minutes, a delicious and rustic dessert, great to accompany with white wine or a splash of rum!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Lombardy
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 240.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.60 (g) of which sugars 1.13 (g)
- Proteins 5.20 (g)
- Fat 16.54 (g) of which saturated 7.06 (g)of which unsaturated 9.16 (g)
- Fibers 2.08 (g)
- Sodium 47.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 55 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup sugar (+ a handful for the top)
- 2/3 cup almonds (+ 10-12 for the top)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 egg yolk
- lemon zest (to taste)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- Cake Pan about 9 inches
- Parchment Paper
- Bowl
- Mixer
Preparation
Place 2/3 cup of almonds in the mixer, add one tablespoon of sugar (from the total) and chop them very finely, into a powder.
Chop the remaining 1/4 cup with a knife, obtaining a crumb more or less fine, depending on your taste.
Put the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, grated zest of half a lemon, sugar, and all the chopped almonds in a bowl.
Add the butter cut into chunks, the egg yolk and a pinch of salt (1).
Work the ingredients with your hands, until you obtain a crumbly mixture.
Line the cake pan with parchment paper and place an even layer of crumbs without pressing too much.
Finally, sprinkle with some granulated sugar and distribute about ten whole almonds on the surface (2).
Put the dessert in a static oven at 356°F and bake for about 20 minutes, then lower to 320°F and continue for another 15-18 minutes until the cake is slightly golden and crunchy (3).
Adjust cooking times and methods based on your oven, if you see the surface darkens too much, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil in the last few minutes.
The sbrisolona cake is ready, let it cool and gently remove it from the mold. To cut it, you can use a knife, but traditionally it is broken with hands.
Advice and notes
The almonds used are those with the skin, both for the dough and for decoration.
I recommend leaving the butter out of the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before using it, so it will be easier to knead.
In addition to lemon zest, you can flavor with vanilla essence or a splash of liqueur such as sassolino.
You can replace 50 g of butter with 50 g of lard.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long does the sbrisolona last?
The cake keeps well at room temperature for 7-8 days, in a closed container or a food bag.
