The torta scendiletto with cream, a traditional dessert from Tuscany.
We were intrigued by its name and discovered different theories: the first is purely etymological, referring either to the rug at the foot of the bed or to a woman’s robe, both called ‘scendiletto’; the second is that, given its deliciousness, it is a great reason to get out of bed.
For an even more indulgent version, replace the classic pastry cream with chocolate pastry cream.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6/8 people
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the torta scendiletto with cream:
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 lemon peel
- 4 medium egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 rolls rectangular puff pastry
- to taste brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools for the torta scendiletto with cream:
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Baking tray
Steps for preparing and baking the cake:
First, prepare the grandma’s pastry cream by following this recipe, let it cool in the refrigerator, you can easily prepare it the day before and store it in the fridge.
Take a roll of rectangular puff pastry, lay it on an approximately 10×14 inch baking tray (keeping the parchment paper provided) and prick the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
Sprinkle the entire surface of the puff pastry with plenty of brown sugar (or granulated sugar), bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Once baking is complete, let the pastry cool.
Spread the pastry cream over the entire surface of the pastry using a spatula.
Unroll the puff pastry, prick it with a fork and lay it over the cream, remove the excess pastry and seal it well.
Add a generous amount of brown sugar or granulated sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Let the cake warm slightly, sprinkle more powdered sugar, and cut it into squares.
Serve the cake still warm for the best taste.
