Torta paradiso

Torta Paradiso is a classic Italian pastry, extremely soft and suitable to be used as a base for stuffed cakes. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 150 g of sugar
• 120 g of soft butter
• 3 eggs
• 120 g of 00 flour
• 60 g of potato starch
• 1 packet of baking powder
• The grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
• A pinch of salt
• Icing sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 °C and butter and flour a cake tin (or cover it with parchment paper).
2. Whisk the soft butter with the sugar until creamy.
3. Add a pinch of salt and the grated lemon zest.
4. Separate the yolks from the whites. Add the yolks to the butter and sugar mixture and beat the whites until stiff.
5. Fold the egg whites into the mixture, mixing from bottom to top to not deflate them.
6. Sift the flour with the potato starch and baking powder and gently incorporate them into the mixture.
7. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the skewer test comes out clean.
8. Once baked, let the cake cool down and dust it with icing sugar.

Curiosity

Torta Paradiso originates from the Lombardy cuisine, and it is said to have been created for the first time by a pastry chef from Pavia as a tribute to a noblewoman of the city. Its name comes from the lightness and delicacy of its flavor, which reminds one of a “stroll in paradise”.

Remember that you can customize the recipe according to your tastes or needs, perhaps by substituting part of the flour with almond flour for a richer taste, or using vegetable butter for a lactose-free version. Happy baking!