1. You are here:
  2. Home
  3. Blog
  4. Categories: Food and wine

Florence culinary tour 3rd stage: "dolci"

Curiosities and recipes of two typically Florentine desserts: schiacciata alla fiorentina and zuccotto.

To the delight of all those with a sweet tooth, the third stop on our culinary tour is Florentine desserts! Florence is mainly known for its savory (often meat-based) dishes, but it also has a sweet side that’s a little less discussed. Did you know that some believe that ice cream was invented in Florence by the famous Renaissance architect, painter and sculptor, Bernardo Buontalenti?

But let’s come back to us; the two desserts we want to talk about are without a doubt of Florentine origin. Schiacciata alla fiorentina is a typical dessert we eat during the Carnival period. It’s a very simple dessert made with yeast, flavored with orange and often enriched with whipped cream (but not traditionally). Zuccotto, on the other hand, is our semifreddo made with sponge cake, ricotta and cocoa.

CURIOSITIES
  • SCHIACCIATA ALLA FIORENTINA: you’re looking for trouble if it’s more than 3 centimeters high! The schiacciata, once baked, must not exceed 3 centimeters, it must remain soft and is typically served with a nice lily (symbol of Florence) of cocoa powder imprinted on it. It’s said that in the 18th century, it was the last meal given to those sentenced to death (who were executed in the nearby Prato della Giustizia, today Piazza Piave) and was also called "Stiacciata delle Murate" because it was produced by the nuns of the monastery in via Ghibellina.
  • ZUCCOTTO: Zuccotto was invented by our beloved Buontalenti which he created for a Medici banquet. It was originally called Elmo di Caterina because it’s said that he produced his first semifreddo right inside a zuccotto - the helmet or headgear of the artillery - in honor of Caterina, the great Queen of France and member of the Medici family.

Photo credits: www.cakesandco.eu

AGNESE’S RECIPES
As in the other stages of our culinary tour, we asked our trusted cook Agnese Pugi (check out her Instagram for recipes in Italian and English!) to give us her precious recipes, allowing us to create these masterpieces!


SCHIACCATA ALLA FIORENTINA
Quantities for a 20x30 rectangular cake tin

Ingredients for the yeast:
  • 150gr ‘00’ flour
  • 125g warm milk
  • 10g fresh brewer's yeast
Ingredients for the dough:
  • 350gr ‘00’ flour
  • 200g lard
  • 250gr sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 yolks
  • Grated zest of 2 oranges and 1 lemon
  • 5g salt

Photo credits: www.instagram.com/p/B85mAnvo0xb/

  1. For the yeast: dissolve the brewer’s yeast in warm milk and knead with the flour, creating a ball. Put in a bowl covered with cling film and put in a warm and humid place (the oven with the light on is perfect) and let it rest until it has tripled in volume (it will take about two and a half hours).
  2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon and orange zest, salt and lard (a little softened).
  3. Add this mixture to the yeast by gradually incorporating the 350g of flour, the mixture must be elastic.
  4. Let it rise directly in the pan (covered with parchment paper) where the flatbread will be baked.
  5. Leave to rise until the mixture has filled the pan (it will take about 3 hours).
  6. Bake at 190°c for 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 170°c and bake for 25/30 minutes. Check whether it’s ready using a toothpick before removing from the oven. 
  7. Serve simply sprinkled with icing sugar or, for an even more indulgent treat, filled with whipped cream.

ZUCCOTTO or CATERINA’S HELMET
Quantities for a 28 cm diameter zuccotto

For the sponge cake:
  • 5 medium eggs
  • 120gr of granulated sugar
  • 120g of ‘00’ flour
  • 80g of potato starch
For the filling:
  • 450g of well drained cow's milk ricotta
  • 450g of cream
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of bitter cocoa powder
  • 150gr of dark chocolate flakes

Photo credits: www.cakesandco.eu

To make the sponge cake:
  1. Beat the eggs with the sugar at room temperature until the mixture is well whipped (it will take about 15/20 minutes). Add the previously sifted flour and starch and mix with a lick from the bottom to the top in order not to disassemble the mixture.
  2. Put the mixture in a previousy buttered and floured 26 cm diameter cake tin and bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes. Before baking, check whether it’s ready using a toothpick. When the sponge cake is completely cooled, cut it into 1 cm thick slices and set them aside.

For the zuccotto filling:
  1. Sift the ricotta and mix it with the icing sugar, add the chocolate chips. Aside, whip the cream and mix it with the ricotta mixture with a lick from the bottom to the top.
  2. Transfer about 1/3 of the mixture into another bowl and add the cocoa.

Composition of the zuccotto:
  1. Completely line the inside of a bowl with cling film, coat the bottom with slices of sponge cake, pour in the plain ricotta mixture leaving a small recess in the center where we will add the mixture with the cocoa. Level the creams well and cover with other slices of sponge cake. Cover with cling film and press lightly to compact the filling well. Leave to rest in the fridge at least 6/7 hours before serving (tip: an hour before serving, transfer the dessert to the freezer. The ricotta cream will freeze slightly allowing you to cut perfect slices!!).
  2. To remove the zuccotto, remove the film on the surface, place a plate over the bowl, turn the cake over and remove the film that covered it.

Photo credits: www.cakesandco.eu

Originally zuccotto was made plain, without ‘wetting’ the sponge cake, but over the years, or rather centuries, a small variation has been made by adding a bagna all’alchermes. Below is the recipe for the mixture:

  • 500ml water
  • 250gr caster sugar
  • 150gr alchermes
  • optional orange or lemon zest

In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the water with the citrus peel. Once the sugar has melted, turn off the heat and add the alchermes. Allow the mixture to cool completely, remove the rinds and use it to wet the outer shell of the zuccotto (not the base, if it gets wet it will become too soft).

 
Don't miss the other stops on our Florentine culinary tour!


You may also be interested in: The dolce vita in Florence


Photo header credits: https://www.cucchiaio.it/ricetta/schiacciata-fiorentina/