The ‘beak’ cake is a typical cake from Lucca. It is a shortcrust pastry-based dessert, a traditional cake for ‘Santa Zita,’ celebrated on April 27. Santa Zita is the patron saint of housewives, domestic workers, and bakers.
The ‘beak’ cake originated as an herb cake, then over the years many variations have been added.
The characteristic of this cake is the beaks, triangles of shortcrust cut and folded along the edge.
Today I present the chocolate version, great for any occasion.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8/10 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Easter
Beak Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 packet Baking powder
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 packet Vanillin (or lemon zest)
- 3 Eggs
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 2/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 l Milk
- 1 1/2 shot glass Brandy or rum
- 1/3 cup Cornstarch (cornflour)
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Springform pan
Beak Cake Preparation
Sift the flour and make a well, add the room temperature butter, cut into pieces, and the sugar, start working. Then add the vanillin, baking powder, and pinch of salt, continuing to mix.
Now start adding the eggs one at a time, working the dough well until it is smooth and homogeneous.
Let rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.
Now let’s prepare the cream.
In a saucepan, mix the sugar, eggs, and flour well, then add the hot milk slowly, put on the heat until it thickens, then remove from heat and add the cocoa and brandy, continuing to mix, until smooth.
Take the shortcrust pastry and roll it out, (leave some dough aside) it should be at least 1/2 cm. Place it in a buttered and floured pan, leaving more pastry on the edges. Pour the cream inside, trying to level it well.
Let’s make the beaks. Using a knife, cut the edge of the pastry making an oblique cut, take the cut part and fold it over itself forming points along the entire edge. With the pastry set aside, form strips and decorate the cake.
Brush the pastry with egg white and sugar.
Bake at 392°F for about 40 minutes, ensuring it is well colored.
Notes
If there is any left, it keeps for 3/4 days in a cool, dry place.
The recipe contains affiliate links.
