Crescionda di Spoleto

The Crescionda di Spoleto is a traditional Umbrian dessert, particularly from the city of Spoleto. It has ancient origins and comes in various versions, some of which include chocolate or citrus zest. Here is a classic version of the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500 ml of milk
• 150 g of granulated sugar
• 75 g of all-purpose flour
• 75 g of breadcrumbs
• 4 eggs
• 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 small glass of anise liqueur (optional)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Butter and breadcrumbs for dusting the pan
• Icing sugar (for decorating)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C and butter and dust a round springform pan with breadcrumbs to facilitate the demoulding of the dessert.
2. In a bowl, separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the yolks with the sugar until you obtain a frothy and light mixture.
3. To the mixture of yolks and sugar add the sifted flour, breadcrumbs, grated lemon zest, cocoa powder and anise liqueur (if you choose to include it).
4. In another container, beat the egg whites until very stiff with a pinch of salt.
5. Gently fold the beaten whites into the yolk mixture, being careful not to deflate them.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the dessert comes out clean.
7. Let the Crescionda cool in the pan, then unmould it and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Curiosity

The Crescionda is a dessert known for its flavor and consistency that balances between a pudding and a cake. Its origins date back to the period of Spanish rule in Italy, and it is thought that the name derives from “crescione”, which means to grow, perhaps alluding to the way the dessert puffs up during baking. The presence of cocoa and anise makes it a truly unique taste experience.