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Torta di pane
Bread cake with cocoa and raisins
Torta di pane: Ticino stale bread cake with cocoa, raisins and pine nuts
SwissTorta di pane is the thrifty cake of Ticino, Switzerland's Italian-speaking south, made in every family and sold in bakeries in Lugano and Locarno: stale bread soaked overnight in milk, then mixed with cocoa, eggs, sugar, raisins, pine nuts, candied peel and lemon zest and baked into a dense, moist cake with a crisp top. Each family's recipe differs, and some add amaretti or a splash of grappa (this one has none). A common mistake is not soaking the bread long enough, which leaves dry lumps. Chef's tip: soak overnight and mash well, then let the cake cool completely before slicing; it firms up.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the cake
- 10 ½ oz stale white breadcrusts removed, torn
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 ½ oz raisins
- 1 ¾ oz pine nuts
- 1 ¾ oz candied peelchopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 oz buttermelted, plus extra for the tin
- 6 amaretti biscuitscrushed, optional
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 10 ½ oz stale white bread in 3 ¼ cups whole milk overnight in the fridge, then mash to a smooth paste. Common mistake: short soaking; dry lumps.
Step 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F) and butter a 26 cm tin.
Step 3: Beat in 3 eggs, 5 ½ oz sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 oz butter, then stir in 3 ½ oz raisins, most of 1 ⅜ oz pine nuts, 1 ¾ oz candied peel and 6 amaretti biscuits.
Step 4: Pour into the tin, scatter with the rest of ⅓ oz pine nuts and bake for 55–60 minutes, until set and crisp on top.
60 minStep 5: Cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does torta di pane take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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