Ciambella with Almonds and Mascarpone

The ciambella with almonds and mascarpone is a soft and tasty dessert, ideal for breakfast or a sophisticated snack. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of finely chopped almonds
• 200 g of sugar
• 250 g of mascarpone cheese
• 3 medium-sized eggs
• 1 packet of baking powder
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
• A pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar (for decorating, optional)
• Butter and flour (for greasing and flouring the mold)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone with sugar until creamy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Fold in the finely chopped almonds and grated lemon zest. Mix to distribute them evenly.
5. Sift the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt, then gently fold into the previously prepared mixture.
6. Grease and flour a ciambella mold.
7. Pour the mixture into the mold and level it with a spatula.
8. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the ciambella to cool in the mold for a few minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar for a sweet and decorative finish.

Note:

You can enrich the ciambella by adding chocolate chips to the dough or serving it with chocolate ganache. If you do not have mascarpone, you could use sieved ricotta to achieve a similar texture, but the taste will be slightly different.

Fun Facts

The presence of mascarpone, a typically Italian fresh cheese, makes this dessert particularly soft, and the combination with almonds provides a very pleasant crunchiness to the palate, creating a balance of textures that is much appreciated in pastry.