Cookies, Cakes, and Tarts
With their nutty flavor and golden color, these little cookies are perfect to serve with tea or as an accompaniment to sorbet or ice cream for dessert. They are traditional in Venice, where they are known as miottini.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies
Place the almonds and cornmeal in a food processor or blender and grind the almonds fine. Add the flour and salt and blend well.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until blended. Add the yolks and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Beat in the dry ingredients.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, until firm.
Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or foil.
Pinch off a bit of the dough and shape it into a 1-inch ball. Place it on one of the baking sheets and flatten it slightly. Continue making the dough balls, placing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
The cookies can be stored for up to 1 week in a cool, dry place or frozen in plastic bags for up to 1 month.
Whole wheat flour and walnuts give these cookies a hearty flavor, while raisins add mellow sweetness. With olive oil and other wholesome ingredients, these are one of the most healthful cookies. They keep well at room temperature in a covered tin and can also be frozen.
Makes 6 dozen biscotti
Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and oil with a wooden spoon. Stir in the dry ingredients until evenly moistened. Add the walnuts and raisins and stir until blended. The dough will be soft.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Lightly moisten your hands and shape each piece into a 12-×-2-inch log. Place 2 logs 4 inches apart on each baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the pans from the oven (do not turn it off). Let the logs cool for 10 minutes.
Slide the logs onto a cutting board one at a time. With a large heavy knife, cut each log diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices about ½ inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crisp. Cool the biscotti on wire racks.
The biscotti can be stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks or frozen in plastic bags for up to 1 month.
During the harvest season in Tuscany, very ripe wine grapes are used to make this delicious focaccia. It’s good with other fruits too, such as peaches or blueberries. Although it is made with yeast, it isn’t necessary to knead the dough—just stir it until a dough forms or beat it with an electric mixer.
Because it is not very sweet, I like to serve the focaccia as a breakfast bread or with afternoon tea. It is also good with a glass of Vin Santo or other dessert wine.
Serves 8
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Let stand for 1 minute, or until creamy. Stir until dissolved.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until a moist, sticky dough forms.
Oil a large bowl. Add the dough, turning once to oil the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
Oil a 17-×-12-×-1-inch baking sheet. Place the dough on the pan. Oil your hands and gently flatten the dough out to fill the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Uncover the dough and scatter the fruit evenly over the surface, pressing the pieces in lightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the focaccia is lightly browned and crisp. Serve warm.
Rustic Fruit Focaccia
Polenta Berry Cake
Corn is not native to the European continent. Historians say that it first arrived in Italy through Venice, a major shipping port, sometime after Columbus returned from the Americas. It was cheaper and easier to grow than wheat and soon became widely cultivated. Dried and ground into meal, it remains popular in the Veneto region, where it is cooked into polenta or added to cakes and cookies (see Venetian Cornmeal Almond Cookies).
Cornmeal adds a pleasant grainy texture and warm golden color to this cake. I have often enjoyed it plain, but one day I decided to add some berries to the batter, and I loved the result.
Serves 8
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Tap out the excess flour.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add ¾ cup of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. On low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients. Add the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients just until smooth, about 1 minute.
Spread the batter in the pan. Scatter the berries over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the pan rim and cool completely on the rack.
Cut the cake into wedges and serve, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
There is something magical about upside-down cakes, known as torte rovesciate in Italy. When the baked cake is flipped over, it is drenched in the flavor of whatever fruits were in the bottom of the pan. Pineapple upside-down cakes are popular with Italians, as are those with figs, pears, peaches, and apples. This one is made with clementines, which are a type of mandarin orange. Use a serrated bread knife to cut them into thin, even slices.
This cake is at its best when served warm. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect accompaniment.
Serves 8
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
Grate the zest from 1 clementine and set it aside for the batter. Save the fruit for another use. Trim off a thin slice from the top and bottom of each of the remaining clementines. With a serrated bread knife, cut them crosswise, peel and all, into very thin slices; you should have enough to cover the surface of the cake. Remove the seeds.
Stir together the brown sugar and melted butter in a small bowl until the sugar is moistened. Spread the mixture evenly in the cake pan. Arrange the clementine slices, overlapping them slightly, on top.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, vanilla, and the reserved zest and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. On low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients. Blend in the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until blended.
Spoon the batter into the pan and carefully spread it evenly over the fruit. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Run a small knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, invert onto a serving platter, and carefully remove the pan. Let the cake cool to warm or room temperature before serving.
In Piedmont, I visited the area that grows the region’s best hazelnuts. Naturally, I wanted to buy some nuts to bring home with me, but I was surprised to find that no one would sell them. When I asked why in one shop, the salesclerk said yes, she had some, but they were last year’s crop and I should come back in a week or two when the fresh harvest was in. Sadly, I had to leave without them, though I did get to taste a number of wonderful desserts made with hazelnuts.
This cake is excellent plain with a cup of tea, but it is even better with the thick, creamy chocolate sauce—and maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Serves 8
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
In a food processor, finely chop the hazelnuts. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse just to blend.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until light and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients just until blended.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a plate, then turn it right side up onto a rack to cool completely. (The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.)
Choose a heatproof bowl that can sit over a saucepan. Add water to the saucepan to a level that will not touch the bottom of the bowl, place the bowl over the saucepan, and bring the water to a simmer.
Add the chocolate, cream, and espresso powder to the bowl and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is softened. Stir until smooth. (The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently.)
Cut the cake into wedges and serve with the warm chocolate sauce.
Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate-Espresso Sauce
I first ate this cake in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, where it was served with Picolit, a golden dessert wine with a flavor like honey. Almost more apples than cake, it is topped with a dollop of rum-flavored whipped cream.
I usually use Golden Delicious apples, which are similar to the baking variety used in Italy. Sweet and juicy when raw, they hold their shape when cooked. Other good varieties for this cake include tart Granny Smith and crisp, juicy Jonagold.
Serves 6 to 8
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Pour 6 tablespoons of the butter into a large bowl.
Add the apples to the butter remaining in the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and tap out the excess flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk the eggs and yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest into the butter in the bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Fold in the apples.
Scrape the batter into the cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is browned and puffed. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Invert the cake onto a plate and lift off the pan, then invert the cake again onto the rack to cool completely.
Place a large bowl and your mixer beaters in the refrigerator to chill.
Just before serving, pour the cream and rum into the chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Sprinkle the cake with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with the whipped cream.
Sweet-tart purple plums are the perfect fruit for this tart, though it also works well with peaches or apricots. You don’t need to peel soft-skinned fruits. The cornstarch thickens the fruit juices so they form a natural glaze for the finished crostata.
Serves 8
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. With a pastry blender or two forks, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Beat together the egg and vanilla in a small bowl. Drizzle the egg over the flour and toss with a fork until blended. Gather the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Crumble the dough into a 9-inch tart pan. With your fingertips, pat the dough over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
Toss the plums with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Arrange the plums cut side up, overlapping slightly, in the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes longer, or until the fruit is tender and the juices are bubbling.
Remove the pan from the oven. Dip a pastry brush in the juices and brush them over the fruit. Cool the tart on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Remove the rim of the pan and let cool completely before serving.
Plum Crostata
The melt-in-your-mouth crust and the crumb topping for this tart are made from the same dough. Cornstarch and plenty of butter are the secret to its tenderness. The fact that the crust is patted into the pan and not rolled makes it particularly easy. Sandwiched between the crust and crumbs is a rich honey and walnut filling that takes on a caramelized flavor as it bakes.
It is always a good idea to bake a tart on a baking sheet, especially when the filling is a loose one. That way, if the pan springs a small leak, it won’t make a mess.
Serves 8
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two forks, blend in the butter until the mixture forms small crumbs.
Beat together the egg yolks, orange zest, and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the flour and stir with a fork until it is evenly moistened. With your hands, pick up some of the dough and squeeze it until it holds together. If the dough is too dry, sprinkle it with up to 1 tablespoon of water. Repeat until the ingredients hold together and can be formed into a ball.
Set aside one quarter of the dough for the topping. Pat the remaining dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Refrigerate the tart pan and the reserved dough for at least 1 hour.
In a heavy saucepan, stir together the walnuts, sugar, cream, and honey. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Pour the cooled walnut filling into the tart shell. Crumble the reserved dough into crumbs and scatter them over the filling.
Bake the tart for 1 hour, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
Remove the rim of the pan and let cool completely before serving.
After a bowl of fresh pasta with zucchini and speck (a type of smoked ham) at Restaurant Ceci near Parma, followed by asparagus topped with butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, fried eggs, and shaved black truffles, I didn’t think I could eat another thing. I was about to request a cup of espresso when the waiter arrived bearing a freshly baked fruit tart. The filling, he said, was apricots and mascarpone, and the flavor, he added, was squisito! I took his recommendation and ordered a slice. The tart sweetness of the apricots and the creamy mild flavor of the mascarpone were heavenly. He was right—it was exquisite.
The tips of the golden apricot wedges peek out of the creamy filling, making this a beautiful dessert. Try it with peaches or plums when apricots are not in season.
Serves 8
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and zest. With a pastry blender or two forks, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Beat the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Drizzle the mixture over the flour and stir with a fork until incorporated.
Gather the dough together and shape it into a disk, then crumble it into a 9-inch tart pan. With your fingertips, pat the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
Whisk together the mascarpone, egg, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the vanilla. Spread the mixture in the tart shell. Place the apricot wedges skin side down into the mascarpone, pressing them in lightly. The ends will peek out of the cream. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the apricots are tender and the cream is set. Cool the tart on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Remove the rim of the pan and let the tart cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
A long, cold January afternoon of shopping the postholiday sales in Milan found my friend and me in need of a break. Lugging our shopping bags, we retreated to Sant Ambroeus, an elegant café named for the patron saint of Milan, and found it bustling with other exhausted shoppers. We ordered pots of hot tea and pastries from the gorgeous display cases. My choice was an individual tart with a classic combination of tender, buttery almond crust, creamy almond filling, and slices of sweet ripe pear. Soon we were refreshed and fortified, ready to face any shopping challenge.
Rather than making individual tarts, I bake this as a single tart large enough to serve eight. Anjou or Bartlett pears are my first choice here, though peaches or plums would be good when they are in season.
Serves 8
Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the ground almonds (reserve the remaining almonds for the filling). With a pastry blender or two forks, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Beat together the egg, yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Drizzle the egg over the flour and toss with a fork until blended.
Pat the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and granulated sugar until blended. Add the eggs and the vanilla and almond extracts and beat well. Fold in the reserved ground almonds and the flour until smooth.
Spread the filling evenly in the tart shell.
Peel the pears and cut them lengthwise in half. Remove the cores and cut them crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices, holding the slices together to keep the pear shape. With a metal spatula, slide the sliced pear halves onto the filling, with the narrow end toward the center of the tart. Press on the slices to fan them slightly.
Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown. Cool the tart on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove the rim of the tart pan and let the tart cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.