Walnut Sbrisolona

17/11/2023

Walnut Sbrisolona is a traditional dessert from northern Italy, particularly from Lombardy, and it is known for its treasure trove of crunchy flavors and its crumbly texture, from which it gets its name. The walnut variant offers a more rustic and profound taste. Here’s the recipe to make a delicious Walnut Sbrisolona.

Ingredients

200 g of 00 flour
100 g of fioretto corn flour
150 g of cold butter from the refrigerator
150 g of granulated sugar
100 g of roughly chopped walnuts
50 g of peeled almonds
1 egg
The grated zest of one lemon
1 pinch of salt
A teaspoon of baking powder

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix the flours with the sugar, baking powder, and pinch of salt.
Add the cold butter, cut into cubes, and work the mixture with your fingertips until the mixture is sandy.
Incorporate the whole egg, lemon zest, and chopped walnuts. Mix briefly, while maintaining a grainy and friable consistency.
Take a springform pan, preferably around 24 cm in diameter, and lightly butter and flour the bottom.
Pour the mixture into the pan without pressing it down too much—Sbrisolona should retain a “crumbly” consistency.
Distribute the whole peeled almonds over the surface of the mixture, pressing them slightly so they embed into the dough.
Preheat the oven to 160 °C and bake the Sbrisolona for about 30-35 minutes or until it is well golden.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before gently removing the rim of the pan, being careful not to break the cake.

Fun Facts

Traditional Sbrisolona is enjoyed by breaking it with your hands rather than cutting it with a knife. This habit reflects the ancient peasant tradition of sharing the dessert directly at the table. The walnuts added in this version further enrich the aromatic profile of the dessert and marry perfectly with the aroma of corn and almonds.

To accompany the Sbrisolona, a sweet wine like Vin Santo or a passito could be enjoyable, their sweetness balancing the crumbliness and richness of the dessert.