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Piononos de Santa Fe
Sponge rolls with toasted cream
Piononos de Santa Fe: Granada's syrup-soaked sponge rolls crowned with toasted cream
The pionono was invented in Santa Fe, on the plain outside Granada, in the late nineteenth century by a local pastry maker who named it after Pope Pius IX, Pío Nono in Spanish. The town still sells them by the dozen from its bakeries, and granadinos carry boxes home for Sunday coffee. Each one is a little standing roll of thin sponge soaked in cinnamon syrup, filled with custard and capped with a dome of custard burnt under a hot iron or torch. Chef's tip: roll the sponge while it is still warm and pliable; once cool it cracks instead of curling.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the custard
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 strip lemon peel
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz cornflour
For the sponge
- 4 eggsat room temperature
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 3 ½ oz plain floursifted
For the syrup
- ¾ cup water
- 3 ½ oz sugar
To finish
- 2 tbsp caster sugarfor caramelising
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Method
0/12 doneStep 1: For the custard, heat 2 cups whole milk with 1 strip lemon peel until steaming. Whisk 4 egg yolks, 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 ⅜ oz cornflour in a bowl, then whisk in the hot milk.
5 minStep 2: Pour it back into the pan and stir over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until it bubbles and turns very thick. Let it bubble for 1 minute more so the cornflour loses its raw taste. Remove the peel, press cling film onto the surface and cool.
5 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and line a 30 × 40 cm tray with baking paper.
Step 4: Whisk 4 eggs and 3 ½ oz caster sugar with an electric mixer for 8 minutes, until pale, tripled in volume and leaving a ribbon that sits on the surface for a few seconds.
8 minStep 5: Fold in 3 ½ oz plain flour in three additions with a large spoon, cutting through gently. The usual mistake is stirring, which knocks out the air and gives a flat, rubbery sponge.
Step 6: Spread thinly and evenly on the tray and bake for 7–8 minutes, until pale golden and springy when touched.
8 minStep 7: While it bakes, boil ¾ cup water, 3 ½ oz sugar and 1 cinnamon stick for 3 minutes into a light syrup. Cool slightly and remove the cinnamon.
3 minStep 8: Turn the sponge onto a clean sheet of baking paper and peel off the lining. Brush generously with the syrup until it is moist all over but not puddled.
Step 9: Spread about two thirds of the custard thinly over the sponge. Roll it up tightly from a long side into a thin log, wrap in paper and chill for 1 hour until firm.
60 minStep 10: Trim the ends and cut into 12 slices about 3 cm thick. Stand them upright on a tray.
Step 11: Top each with a spoonful of the remaining custard, smooth into a small dome and sprinkle with 2 tbsp caster sugar. Caramelise with a kitchen blowtorch until amber and crackly, or under a very hot grill for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
3 minStep 12: Chill for 15 minutes before serving. Keep in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does piononos de Santa Fe take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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