The Spongata, traditional Christmas cake is a recipe that is part of the Emilian cuisine, but it is also found on the Tuscan and Ligurian sides with some ingredient variations. The Spongata consists of two thin pastry discs similar to puff pastry that enclose an aromatic filling that includes honey, nuts, spices, candied fruit, and dry biscuits. To ensure the flavors blend, the filling must rest for a day, and the finished cake also gains flavor if allowed to rest for a day before consumption. Follow the procedure and make it yourself!
Other Christmas recipes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Electric oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
- Energy 667.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 99.69 (g) of which sugars 62.51 (g)
- Proteins 8.86 (g)
- Fat 26.79 (g) of which saturated 7.53 (g)of which unsaturated 9.02 (g)
- Fibers 3.26 (g)
- Sodium 118.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 153 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
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 oz white wine
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3.5 oz butter (soft)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 7 oz acacia honey
- 3.4 oz white wine
- 3.5 oz dry biscuits
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg (ground)
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (ground)
- 1.8 oz blanched almonds
- 1.8 oz walnut kernels
- 1.8 oz hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1.8 oz candied citron (cut into small pieces)
- 1.8 oz candied orange (cut into small pieces)
- 1.8 oz raisins
- 1.1 oz pine nuts
- 0.7 oz powdered sugar (for decoration)
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Bowl
- Chopper
- Pan
- Pasta board
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
Steps
Pour almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts into a pan, toast them, and then chop them together with the tablespoon of sugar. Also, chop the biscuits and add the pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
In a saucepan, pour honey and white wine and let them simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Incorporate the pulverized biscuits with the spices and chopped nuts. Remove from the heat and mix in the candied fruit, raisins, and pine nuts. Let the mixture cool in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature until the next day.
In a bowl, quickly work the flour with the warm white wine, oil, softened butter at room temperature and cut into pieces, sugar, and salt.
Combine the ingredients and finish the dough on the pasta board. It does not need to rest. Line a 10.2-inch mold with wet parchment paper. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out two discs, one 11 inches and the other 10.2 inches. Place the larger one in the mold leaving a 0.8-inch border.
Turn on the oven in static mode at 356°F.
Fill with the filling, level it, and cover with the other disc. Seal the edge and make a central hole to let the steam out and bake. Cook at medium height for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for a day in a cool environment wrapped in parchment paper. Before serving, sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.
Tips
To enjoy the Spongata, traditional Christmas cake at its best, I recommend preparing it well in advance.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What are the main ingredients of Spongata, traditional Christmas cake?
The Spongata includes honey, spices, candied fruit, and lots of nuts
How do you store the Spongata, traditional Christmas cake?
The Spongata is kept under a dome or in an airtight container for a week at room temperature.
