The San Biagio cake is a recipe I learned about thanks to a friend of mine who is a food blogger, and I recommend visiting her blog La cucina di Zia Sa, a typical dessert from an area in Mantua, Cavriana.
San Biagio Cake: The Ancient Recipe of Cavriana between History and Legend.
If you’re looking for a dessert that embodies centuries of history and an enveloping taste, the San Biagio Cake is the perfect answer.
Typical of the village of Cavriana, in the Mantua area, this cake is not only a delight for the palate but a true journey through time, dating back to the 17th century.
The History: Between Aphrodisiac Almonds and Royal Courts.
The origins of this delicacy date back to the 1600s, a time when the almonds of Cavriana were famous not only for their unique taste but also for their alleged aphrodisiac properties. It is said that the microclimate of the morainic hills gave these fruits an inimitable fragrance, making them the most coveted ingredient in the area.
The most fascinating legend, however, links the San Biagio Cake to the court of France.
It is said that during the reign of Louis XIII, a delegation of French pastry chefs came to the Duchy of Mantua to learn the local confectionery art.
Impressed by the goodness of the local almonds, the pastry chefs were gifted a special recipe by the people of Cavriana, created specifically to be presented to Queen Anne of Austria, the King’s wife.
From that moment, the combination of almonds and chocolate became a symbol of welcome and refinement.
Why prepare the San Biagio Cake today?
Despite its historical significance, I admit that this recipe remained a hidden treasure for a long time.
Even I, always on the hunt for culinary traditions, discovered it only thanks to the valuable suggestion of my friend Sara.
The secret of its success? A crumbly shortcrust pastry shell that hides a rich filling of dark chocolate and chopped almonds, often enriched with a touch of liquor or natural flavors.
It is a “rustic” yet elegant cake, perfect to enjoy with a dessert wine or coffee at the end of a meal.
Approx. 663 kcal per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Lombardy
- Seasonality: Winter, San Biagio
Ingredients to make San Biagio Cake
- 5.3 oz butter
- 5.6 oz sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white wine (measure with a water glass)
- 1 packet vanillin (or ½ teaspoon liquid vanilla)
- 1/2 packet baking powder
- 3.5 oz 75% dark chocolate
- 3.5 oz almonds
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 4.4 oz sugar
- 0.35 oz powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Pan pan
Preparation of San Biagio Cake
First, prepare the dough by combining all the indicated ingredients and mixing them, perhaps with a mixer, until you get a crumbly dough, which you will then pour onto a work surface and knead until you get a homogeneous ball.
The amount of flour may vary depending on how you measure the wine.
If you don’t use a mixer, then add the ingredients gradually, mixing them well.
Once the dough is ready, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about an hour to rest.
In the meantime, chop the dark chocolate and blend the almonds, keeping everything aside.
Take the rested dough, roll it out into a fairly thin sheet, and place it on a greased and floured pan, or covered with parchment paper or a mold like mine, 10.2 inches in diameter.
Cut off the excess dough that will then be used to decorate the top of the cake.
Prepare the filling by putting 2 eggs in a bowl, beat them with a fork, then add the sugar and mix well, add the previously chopped chocolate and almonds, and mix everything well.
Pour the filling into the dough, leveling everything well.
Now with the remaining dough, make thin strips and place them on the cake as shown in the photo.
Keep the strips well to the edges of the cake, although I did this, during baking the strips tend to detach quite a bit from the edges, because the filling will swell during baking.
Once ready, bake in a preheated oven at 338°F for 45 minutes, checking the cooking.
Once baked, let it cool well and then sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving.
