Torta Bertolina

Name: Torta Bertolina
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Strawberry grapes 4 cups; Fioretto corn flour 1 ¼ cup; Type 00 flour 3 cups; Sugar 1 ½ tbsp; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz; Water 1 ¾ cup; Fine salt 1 pinch; Extra virgin olive oil to oil the baking pan 2 tsp; Sugar 2 tbsp

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308

Calories per serving

Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Energy Kcal 308
Carbohydrates g 66
of which sugars g 17.6
Protein g 6.9
Fats g 1.9
of which saturated fat g 0.3
Fiber g 2.7
Sodium mg 151

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low
Note + about 2 hours of rising

PRESENTATION

Bertolina cake is this super cherished dessert from the Crema and Cremona areas of Lombardy. It pops up every fall when the sweet aroma of the grape harvest fills the air. You know, it's one of those traditional Italian desserts where the magic really comes from something simple and local—like the uva fragola. This special kind of Concord grape grows in the region and is only around for a short time in September and October. People around Crema take this cake seriously—and there's even a festival every year to celebrate the Bertolina cake and its place in local food culture. The standout feature? It's not about fancy techniques or tons of ingredients; it's about using fresh, juicy grapes to give a taste of the season.

When you cut into a slice, you see how the moist cake gets these little purple pockets from the grapes, and the smell—fruity and slightly earthy—is pretty much what autumn in Lombardy should be. And look, what’s really cool is that each baker and family around there might tweak their Torta Bertolina recipe a bit. Some add a bit more sugar, others keep things super rustic, but it always ends up with that tender, homey feel. This Italian grape cake is not something you'll find outside northern Italy very often. It's like a local secret—passed down over the years.

Some people say it’s kinda like other Lombardy grape cakes, but using uva fragola gives it its own thing. Really, a pop of tangy flavor in every bite. Locals love having a slice in the afternoon with coffee or as a simple dessert after a meal, especially when the weather starts to turn. You know, when you want something that matches those golden autumn afternoons. The cake really brings together everything good about the grape harvest—tradition, the smell of baking, and a taste that’s totally connected to the land and the time of year. Seriously, it's a really good way to celebrate the season and enjoy a piece of Lombardy's rich culinary heritage.

INGREDIENTS

308

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 12.5-inch mold: Strawberry grapes 4 cups (600 g); Fioretto corn flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g); Type 00 flour 3 cups (350 g); Sugar 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz (15 g); Water 1 ¾ cup (410 g); Fine salt 1 pinch; Extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp (10 g) - to oil the baking pan

for dusting: Sugar 2 tbsp (25 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Torta Bertolina

To prepare the Bertolina cake, start by sifting the all-purpose flour and pouring it into a large bowl 1, then also add the yellow cornmeal and the crumbled fresh yeast with your hands 2 and the 20 g of sugar 3.

Mix the ingredients 4 and start pouring the water in a thin stream 5 while continuing to mix with the spatula; add salt 6.

Continue kneading in the bowl and gradually pouring the water until you obtain a very hydrated, semi-liquid mixture 8. Cover with plastic wrap 9 and let it rise for about 1 hour at a temperature of 80-82°F (even an off oven with the light on will do).

In the meantime, take the Concord grapes and detach the berries from the stems 10; then rinse them gently under running water 11, then drain them on a clean towel 12 and dry them by gently dabbing so as not to break the berries.

After the rising time of the dough has elapsed, take it back 13, remove the plastic wrap 14 then add the Concord grape berries inside 15

and gently mix with the spatula 16 so that the berries mix with the dough but without breaking. Cover with plastic wrap again 17 and let rise in the off oven with the light on for about 45 minutes. Grease a 12.5-inch diameter pan 18 and turn on the static oven to 356°F to preheat it before baking the cake.

After the rising time has elapsed, take the dough 19 and pour it into the pan 20, then spread it out with the help of a scraper 21:

At this point, you can dust with 25 g of granulated sugar 22 and your Bertolina cake will be ready to be baked 23 in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 50 minutes. Once cooked 24 take out the Bertolina cake, let it cool slightly and serve it directly by slicing it in the pan!

Storage

The Bertolina cake can be stored covered with a glass dome for 2-3 days at room temperature.

It can be frozen once cooked and completely cooled.

Tip

If you prefer, you can flavor the dough with citrus zest or the seeds of a vanilla bean.

Curiosity

The legends about the origins of this cake are lost in the mists of time. The name would derive from the rural environment, inspired by the names of a father and son farmers: Bertoldo and Bertoldino. Another legend would trace the origin of this cake to two sisters from Trescore Cremasco, nicknamed "Benedète," with whom no one wanted to marry. So the two sisters, to live decently despite not being married, opened a bakery where they prepared bread and homemade sweets, including the Bertolina Cake. The cake, apparently, was very popular, so much so that many people started going to the two sisters asking for the recipes. They, however, never let it slip, making this secret their fortune.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.