Prosecco and clementine sorbet with ‘sbrisolona’ cake

12th May 2023

We can argue that citrus and Prosecco are both acid elements for a recipe but I can guarantee you that they actually work very well in tandem if paired with other richer ingredients, as in this case with fresh ricotta and the ‘Sbrisolona’ cake, which contains butter. Actually, the sweet background of the clementine gives this dessert long lasting refreshing notes.

Torta Sbrisolona is a crumbly almond cake originally from the north east of Italy, between the Veneto and Lombardy region. It actually defies the description of the word cake as it is usually served already crumbled into shards, but nevertheless, it is so rich and crunchy that honestly it is difficult to stop eating it once take your first bite, and it is super easy to make!

Chef’s tips: You will be left with some extra cake for this recipe, fear not, the Sbrisolona can be stored in an air-tight container for a few weeks to retain its crumbly texture. It is great on its own, simply with a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Categories: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Sbrisolona:

125g 00 flour

75g polenta flour

100g butter, cubed

100g sugar

150g almonds, chopped in big pieces

1 egg yolk

½ vanilla pod (or a few drops of extract)

½ orange zest

½ lemon zest

For the Prosecco DOC and clementine sorbet:

300ml DOC Prosecco Extra Dry

For the ricotta mousse

150g fresh ricotta

150g whipping cream

60g icing sugar

5g ground cinnamon

To garnish

Basil leaves

Clementine segments

Preparation

Prepare the sorbet in advance. Bring the Prosecco and sugar to the boil. When the sugar is well dissolved add the clementine juice and reduce by ¼ over medium heat. Let it cool down and pour the mixture into the ice cream machine. Once ready let it set well in the freezer, overnight if possible.

To prepare the cake simply rub and mix all the ingredients by hand until combined but still rough. The mixture doesn’t have to be smooth, simply make sure the butter and egg yolk are mixed well with the other ingredients. Spread and press the mixtures on a baking tray lined with parchment. It has to be between 1 and 2cm high and bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes, until golden. Let it cool and break it into shards.

To prepare the ricotta mousse, whip the cream with icing sugar and then add the fresh ricotta cheese and cinnamon and mix gently until uniform. Put it into a piping bag for a better-looking result when plating.

Plate a big scoop of Prosecco sorbet in the middle of shallow bowls, pipe the ricotta mousse on the sides and top with the Sbrisolona cake shards. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and clementine segments.

Recipe by Danilo Cortellini