- Food & Wine
Sbrisolona Cake Recipe
It is a Mantuan cake tied to the peasant tradition based on almonds
Sbrisolona Cake Recipe. It is among one of the tradtional desserts that represent Mantua and Lombardy's culinary tradition. It is hard not to appreciate its buttery taste and rustic look.
The origins of the Sbrisolona recipe date back to the XVIth and XVIIth centuries. At the time, it was still considered peasant food and was also called "cups cake" because its ingredients were measured using a cup.
This cake was so good though that it did not take long to arrive to the court of the Gonzaga family. This was the occasion when, in order to make it even more appetizing, was added sugar, butter, almonds and spices.
The name Sbrisolona derives from the Mantuan word "brisa", which means "crumb" due to its granular, irregular and brittle texture.
Although this recipe has numerous variants, as can be expected by products so strongly connected to ancient local traditions, we want to present you with the classical version of it. It is better enjoyed paired with a bit of zabaglione sauce and broken in uneven parts.