San Biagio Cake

Name: San Biagio Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 3 ¼ cups; Butter; Sugar 6 ½ tbsp; Vanilla bean 1; Dry white wine ½ cup; Almonds 2 cups; Sugar ½ cup; Eggs 2; Dark chocolate 3.5 oz; Lemon peel 1; Eggs 1

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664

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 664
Carbohydrates g 71.8
of which sugars g 33.6
Protein g 14.9
Fats g 34.1
of which saturated fat g 9.76
Fiber g 6.9
Cholesterol mg 102
Sodium mg 35

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Nestled in the charming town of Cavriana in Lombardy, the Torta di San Biagio recipe is really, really special in Italian culinary tradition. Every February, the community gathers for the San Biagio festival—it's a big deal—and this cake is the heart of the celebration. What makes this dessert unique is the shortcrust pastry. No eggs here, which is kind of rare among Italian sweets. Instead, they use a splash of white wine. Seriously good. It gives the crust a special tender bite and a subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet filling.

Locals craft this filling with ground almonds, dark chocolate, sugar, and eggs. It's a rich, moist center that's just the right balance of sweetness and nuttiness. The top of the tart? It's artistically arranged with leftover pastry cut into jagged strips. Forms a lattice pattern, letting the glossy, chocolatey filling peek through. From the Gonzaga era to today’s bright festivals, this Cavriana dessert has always been a symbol of community spirit.

Every year, the town bakes a massive three-meter-wide version to serve to hundreds of visitors, keeping this really good tradition alive. The golden crust—achieved by using white wine—melts into the rich filling, creating a balanced blend of flavors. The combo of almonds and chocolate gives a crispy top with a soft, almost creamy bite inside. And here's the thing: each slice tells a story steeped in history. No question people eagerly anticipate this classic San Biagio cake every year.

Even among other Italian festival desserts, this cake stands out because of its deep connection to local culture and history. It's tangy and satisfying, especially with a cup of coffee or tea. Whether you're into traditional recipes or just exploring new flavors, Saint Blaise’s cake is a piece of Mantuan cuisine that offers a unique taste experience. For real.

INGREDIENTS

664

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the Base: Type 00 flour 3 ¼ cups (400 g); Butter (80 g); Sugar 6 ½ tbsp (80 g); Vanilla bean 1; Dry white wine ½ cup (120 ml)

for the Filling: Almonds 2 cups (300 g); Sugar ½ cup (100 g); Eggs 2; Dark chocolate 3.5 oz (100 g); Lemon peel 1

for Brushing: Eggs 1

Preparation

How to prepare San Biagio Cake

To prepare the San Biagio cake, start making the shortcrust pastry: blend the cold butter with the flour in a mixer until you get a sandy mixture 1. Transfer the mixture onto the work surface, shape it into a traditional fountain 2, and add the sugar 3.

Mix with your hands and gradually add the white wine in a thin stream 4. Add the vanilla seeds and knead vigorously with your hands 5 to get a compact and well-blended dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap 6 and let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely break the dark chocolate 7 and chop the almonds in a mixer 8. In a large bowl, mix the two ingredients 9 and

add the sugar 10, grated zest of one lemon 11, and the eggs 12.

Mix the ingredients well with a spoon 13. At this point, roll out the shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/5 inch 14 and cover a well-buttered and floured 10.5-inch diameter cake pan 15.

Remove the excess dough by pressing the edges of the cake pan with the rolling pin 16 and fill the cake with the filling 17, leveling it well with a spoon 18.

Knead and roll out the leftover dough again and use a crinkle-edged wheel to cut strips 19, which you will place on the cake first diagonally 20, so that they intersect to form diamonds 21.

Beat one egg and brush the surface of the cake (22-23). Bake the cake in a preheated static oven at 320°F for 45 minutes (convection oven 284°F for 35 minutes) until the surface is colored 24. Here is your San Biagio tart ready!!

Storage

You can store the San Biagio cake under a glass dome for 3-4 days.
If you want to prepare it ahead of time, you can make the shortcrust pastry and store it for 3-4 days, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge, or freeze it for future use.

Advice

If you have leftover dough, you can use it to form a braid and place it on the edge of the cake.
If you wish, you can also flavor the filling with 20 ml of anise or rum liquor.

Curiosity

The Christian tradition holds that Saint Blaise is the protector of the throat and nose, and in church, on February 3rd, an ancient blessing is renewed: the priest crosses two candles under the chin of the faithful to protect these parts of the body.

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