The Florentine schiacciata is a dessert that smells like home, citrus, and good things, filling kitchens during Carnival time. It is an old recipe, linked to Tuscan tradition, that conquers everyone with its extreme simplicity. A soft cloud, orange-scented, perfect to be enjoyed at any time of the day.
I chose to leave it as is, bare and authentic, just as we like it at home. It is common practice to cut it in half and fill it with a generous amount of chantilly cream (whipped cream + sugar).
Whether you decide to eat it plain or stuffed, its light texture will win you over. It is the perfect dessert to share, bringing together big and small around a table. My little nephew loves it.
Let’s start baking together.
Happy cooking, Giusi.
You might also be interested in:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Florentine Schiacciata
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup milk (at room temperature)
- 2 Eggs (at room temperature)
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1/2 cup orange juice (1 large orange)
- orange zest (from one orange)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- Powdered sugar (For the topping)
- unsweetened cocoa powder (For the topping)
Tools for Florentine Schiacciata
- 1 Baking Dish 12×8
Steps
Start by working the sugar together with the grated orange zest: this little secret helps to release all the essential oils from the citrus. Add the eggs at room temperature and beat everything with an electric mixer for several minutes until you get a very light, fluffy, and frothy mixture.
Gradually pour in the oil and milk at room temperature, continuing to mix gently with the mixer at low speed. Also add the filtered orange juice.Sift the all-purpose flour together with the baking powder and incorporate them a little at a time into the mixture. Mix well until you get a smooth, fluid batter without lumps.
Take a rectangular baking dish, it must be thoroughly buttered and floured to prevent the cake from sticking. Pour the batter in and smooth it out well with a spatula. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, always checking with a toothpick.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. In the center part, where the coat of arms will go, put a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder, then carefully place the coat of arms on the cocoa and sprinkle the entire surface with abundant powdered sugar. Gently remove the coat of arms and prepare to enjoy this dessert with immense satisfaction.
The cloud of goodness is ready! I hope you enjoyed this traditional recipe. See you next time.
Storage
The Florentine schiacciata keeps perfectly for 2-3 days at room temperature. The trick to preventing it from drying out is to store it under a glass dome or seal it in an airtight container.
