Apple Sbrisolona

Apple Sbrisolona is a variant of the traditional Sbrisolona cake, originating from Mantua, and the apple variant is perfect for those who love desserts with a fruitier taste. Here’s the recipe for you!

Ingredients

• 200 g cornmeal (fioretto)
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g sugar
• 150 g almonds, coarsely chopped
• 150 g cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• A pinch of salt
• 3-4 apples (depending on size)
• A bit of brown sugar
• A bit of ground cinnamon (if you like)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, chopped almonds, lemon zest and salt.
3. Add the cold butter cubes and start working the ingredients with your fingertips to obtain a sandy, crumbly mixture.
4. Incorporate the egg and continue mixing, without overworking the dough to maintain the crumbly texture.
5. Wash, peel and thinly slice the apples.
6. Butter and flour a baking pan (preferably 24 cm in diameter) and pour about half of the crumbly dough, creating an even layer.
7. Arrange the apple slices on top, sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar and, if desired, a dusting of cinnamon.
8. Cover with the remaining crumbly dough, hiding the apples.
9. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the Apple Sbrisolona is golden and crunchy.
10. Let cool before serving.

Trivia

The Sbrisolona gets its name from its characteristic texture that tends to crumble when cut. Its unique consistency is due precisely to the particular way the dough is worked which, not being uniformly amalgamated, creates that delicious “crumbliness”.

Enjoy your Apple Sbrisolona!