Dessert

Italian Grape Cake Recipe

September 6, 2020 by Marisa 4 Comments

An incredibly moist Italian Grape Cake Recipe made with olive oil and scented with orange zest, almond and a hint of thyme. It’s an Italian-style harvest cake and a simple yet perfect way of baking with grapes.

Fall is fast approaching and with it comes a whole new season of culinary delights.

In Italy, grapes are harvested between the end of August to mid October. During this period it’s quite customary to present a dish or sweet treat with the newly harvested foods.

Alas, since I’m nowhere near Italy at the moment, I look no further than my favourite farmer’s market for the best grapes I could find.

Which now begs the question, have you spotted these Thomcord grapes yet?

Thomcord grapes are a hybrid of the seedless Thompson grapes. They’re very thin skinned and with the sweetest aromatic taste ever.

If not for the fact that they are packaged and sold in clusters while still intact on their vine, one would seriously think these tiny grapes are blueberries.

And much like blueberries the thin skin clings to the grape when bitten into.

And now begs another question! Have you ever baked with grapes before?

If not then all I can say is…oh my goodness…you’re missing out my friend!

When baked these fresh grapes turn a deep purple hue in color with pools of soft jammy goodness.

With this olive oil grape cake, each bite has a burst of sweetness and is complimented with the citrus, almond scent and hint of thyme.

It stays incredibly moist for days and has a lovely contrast in texture with some crunchy sliced almonds scattered over the grape cake.

Lets bake this Italian-style cake shall we!

How to Make an Italian Grape Cake

Start by sifting together the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. And set the flour mixture aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the eggs with the granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow in color. About 3 minutes.

Add the olive oil, milk, vanilla and almond extracts, zest and thyme to the egg mixture. Mix until well incorporated.
Switch to the paddle attachment and mix in the flour mixture until well combined.

Fold in 1 cup of grapes with a rubber spatula.

Transfer the cake batter into a greased and floured 9 inch springform pan. Or grease with your favourite baking product.
Scatter the remaining cup of grapes evenly over the top of the cake.
Sprinkle the top of the cake with sliced almonds

Bake the grape cake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.
When ready the cake will be deep golden brown in color and should spring back when touched with your fingertip.
Alternately, you can check for doneness with a small wooden skewer. If a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean then it’s ready.

Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack. Run a knife along the sides of the pan and allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes before releasing the cake from the springform pan.
Dust the cake with powdered sugar just before serving.
Garnish with sugared grapes if desired. (check instructions below on how to make sugared grapes)

How to Make Sugared Grapes for Garnishing

Making sugared grapes is really quite easy but does require a little patience. Most of the time involved is inactive time.

To make the sugared grapes for garnishing, you’ll need:

3 small clusters of grapes on the vine or approximately 2/3 cups of plucked grapes.
1/3 granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup
1/3 water cup

First, we’ll make a simple syrup. Place 1/3 cup of sugar and equal part water in a small stock pot. Heat on medium low and stir together till the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove from heat.

With a slotted spoon, dip the grapes in the simple sugar mixture while turning to coat all over.

Transfer to a wire rack and let the grapes dry for 1 hour.

Then, roll the grapes in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar while taking care to cover the entire surface of the grapes.

Return to the wire rack and let dry for another hour so that the sugar adheres to the grapes.

These sugared grapes add a pretty touch and also compliments this grape studded cake. But really, you can use them to garnish any sweet treat. They would also be perfect to serve with cocktails.

If planning ahead you’ll be happy to know that this Italian Grape Cake Recipe will stay fresh for quite a few days. And, it actually tastes better the following day!

It’s moist. Flavourful. And not too sweet. Making it a perfect breakfast cake or a special treat for brunch!

Happy Baking!

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0 from 0 votes

Italian Grape Cake Recipe

An incredibly moist Italian Grape Cake Recipe made with olive oil and scented with orange zest, almond and a hint of thyme. It's an Italian-style harvest cake and a simple yet perfect way of baking with grapes.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Harvest Cake, Italian Grape Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 343kcal

Equipment

9 inch spring form pan

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup almond milk or regular milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
orange zest from 1 medium orange
1 teaspoon thyme leaves optional
2 cups small seedless grapes such as Thomcord, Thompson or Concord divided (1 cup in cake batter and 1 cup to scatter over top)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
powdered sugar for dusting over the cake

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan.
In a medium sized bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the eggs and granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow in colour. About 3 minutes.
Mix in the olive oil, milk, vanilla and almond extracts, zest and thyme until well incorporated.
Switch to the paddle attachment and mix in the flour mixture until well combined.
Fold in 1 cup of the grapes with a rubber spatula.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and level off with the back of a spoon.
Scatter the remaining 1 cup of grapes evenly over the top of the cake.
Sprinkle the top of the cake with sliced almonds.
Bake the cake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
When ready the cake will have a deep golden brown colour and springs back to the touch. Or, if a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean then it's ready.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
Run a knife alongside the edges of the pan and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Release the cake from the springform pan and cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
Garnish with sugared grapes or fresh thyme leaves if desired. (see notes below on how to make sugared grapes)

Notes

Ingredients for sugared grapes:

3 small clusters of grapes on the vine or approximately 2/3 cups of plucked grapes.
1/3 granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup
1/3 water cup

Simple Syrup:

Place 1/3 cup of sugar and equal part water in a small stock pot.

Heat on medium low and stir together till the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove from heat.

With a slotted spoon, dip the grapes in the simple sugar mixture, turning to coat all over.

Transfer to a wire rack and let the grapes dry for 1 hour.

Roll the grapes in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar while taking care to cover the grapes all over with the sugar.

Return to the wire rack and let dry for another hour so that the sugar adheres to the grapes.

Enjoy as a garnish for decorating sweet treats.

Nutrition

Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff

August 14, 2020 by Marisa 4 Comments

This recipe for Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff is an easy-to-make dessert. The ricotta is mixed with mascarpone cheese and some whipped cream. It’s then chilled and topped with drunken strawberries just before serving.

Anytime you’re craving a fuss free treat, whether it be on a hot summer day or simply when feeling too lazy to turn on the oven, this heavenly dessert is it!

For one, it’s incredibly easy to make. In fact the ricotta mixture can be prepped in minutes and then set aside to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.

This allows the flavours to meld and also allows the mixture to firm up so that it may cradle all those sweet macerated strawberries.

How to Make Ricotta Mousse

To make this luscious concoction you’ll need a few good quality ingredients.

ricotta cheese
mascarpone cheese
whipping cream
sugar
Grand Marnier liqueur

You’ll need a medium sized bowl to beat together the ricotta and mascarpone cheeses along with the sugar and liquor.

Set this cheese mixture aside while you whip some cream in a separate bowl.

Beat the cream until soft peaks form.

Then simply fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture until it’s well incorporated.

Spoon the ricotta and mascarpone mousse into 6 individual serving glasses. Leave some head space to fill with the macerated strawberries.

Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. The mixture will set and firm up.

If planning ahead, you can make the mousse up to 24 hours before serving.

The serving glasses I used are of a 3/4 cup capacity.

I filled the serving glasses to about 2/3 full as to allow some head space to fill with the macerated strawberries.

If you don’t have small serving glasses then small glass serving bowls would also work.

For an extra special touch you can also get a little more fancy and serve the ricotta mousse in martini glasses or even small cognac glasses.

Although typically French, Strawberries Romanoff is a classic dessert of Russian origin. It was supposedly created by a French chef for the royal family of Imperial Russia.

This fruit dessert is one I turned to over and over again for weekend entertaining when hubby and I where first married.

Back then I would always serve it over scoops of vanilla ice cream. It’s so easy and dreamy to make.

A perfect light dessert after an indulgent meal.

Nowadays, in getting a little more creative, I find it wonderful topped over a luscious ricotta and mascarpone mousse.

How to Macerate Strawberries for Ricotta Mousse

Macerating refers to a technique of combining fruits with a liquor and some sugar. You’re essentially marinating the fruits to soften while soaking up the flavourful liquids.

The strawberries are first washed, patted dry, hulled and then quartered. Or you can slice them rather than quarter them if you so wish.

They are then stirred together with some sugar and as in this recipe, with Grand Marnier liqueur. But really, any other orange-flavoured liqueur would do. Such as Cointreau. Also a flavourful brandy or rum would be great as well.

You may also skip the alcohol altogether and replace it with an equal amount of orange juice, if you so wish.

The amount of time used to macerate the strawberries will greatly depend on the sweetness of the berries.

So as a general rule whenever I use Quebec or Ontario strawberries, which are very sweet, I find 30 minutes time is sufficient.

But if you’re strawberries are less so definitely marinate them for 1 full hour.

Then just before serving, spoon the macerated strawberries over the ricotta and mascarpone mousse. The strawberry juice will make its way into the crevices and makes for some pretty swirls.

You can serve the dessert as is. Or, dress it up with a few fresh berries and some roasted sliced almonds. And of course some mint leaves for a splash of colour and pretty garnish!

So simple and gorgeous! You’ll be making this ricotta mousse with strawberries romanoff over and over again!

More strawberry desserts

If you’re craving more strawberry deliciousness then you may want to try a Crespella with Nutella and Berries.

It’s a perfect weekend breakfast or brunch idea! A thin Italian pancake topped with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. And, a drizzle of Nutella.

Or you can get a little more fancier with some elegant and individual servings of Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes.

Happy baking or not with this wonderful no bake ricotta mousse recipe!

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5 from 2 votes

Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff

This Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff is an easy-to-make dessert. It's smooth, creamy and wonderfully paired with boozy macerated strawberries.

Prep Time20 mins

Chilling Time2 hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 359kcal

Equipment

6 individual serving glasses
2 medium sized mixing bowls
Hand held mixer

Ingredients

Ricotta Mousse

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur

Strawberries Romanoff

1½ cups strawberries washed, hulled and quartered
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
1/4 cup roasted, sliced almonds
mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

Ricotta Mousse

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the ricotta, mascarpone, sugar and the Grand Marnier until well combined.
In a separate medium sized bowl beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture using a spatula, until well incorporated
Spoon the ricotta and mascarpone mixture, equally, into 6 individual small sized serving glasses while leaving about 1/3 of head space.
Cover the glasses with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours if making ahead.

Strawberries Romanoff

About 1/2 hour before serving, stir together the quartered strawberries, sugar and Grand Marnier.
Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
When ready to serve, spoon the strawberry mixture over the individual ricotta mousse while distributing it evenly.
Garnish each serving glass with a couple of whole berries the toasted sliced almonds and with a sprig of mint leaves.

Notes

The serving glasses I used are of a 3/4 cup capacity.

I filled the serving glasses to about 2/3 full as to allow some head space to fill with the macerated strawberries.

If you don't have small serving glasses then small glass serving bowls would also work.

For an extra special touch you can also get a little more fancy and serve the ricotta mousse in martini glasses or even small cognac glasses.

Enjoy!

Nutrition

Ricciarelli: Italian Almond Cookies

July 22, 2020 by Marisa 15 Comments

Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies are exquisite little morsels with a soft and chewy bite. They’re a traditional Sienese cookie, gluten free and a joy to make!

As I reflect on which cookies to add on a cookie platter, a balance of different textures and flavours is what I look for.

Some have to include a type of nut while some are without, and always keeping in mind different tastes and preferences.

I would need at least one colourful treat to brighten up the mound of cookies piled up high on my cookie platter. Such as these Italian Rainbow Cookies.

And then we mustn’t forget family members with dietary restrictions. Such as those who are gluten intolerant! They too need a perfectly satisfying sweet nibble! This is where these Italian gluten free almond cookies make an appearance!

What are Ricciarelli?

Ricciarelli are Italian almond cookies with a soft and chewy bite.

These Italian paste-like cookies are lemon scented and also wonderfully perfumed with the seeds of a vanilla bean. They also pack an intense almond taste that we so love in our almond flavoured desserts.

They’re like delicate little Italian pastries. Light and airy in taste, much like a French macaron but slightly denser to the bite.

What I love about these cookies is that you really don’t need any serious baking skills.

It’s simply a few very good quality ingredients consisting mostly of finely ground almonds and some powdered sugar.

What are the ingredients for Italian almond cookies?

blanched almonds (see notes below to blanch your own)
powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar)
pure almond extract
lemon zest
vanilla bean
egg whites

How to Make Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies from scratch

In a food processor, pulse together the blanched almonds with 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar until you achieve a fine texture.

Then add in the remaining sugar with the lemon zest, almond extract, vanilla seeds and pulse together until very fine.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork just until foamy and stir into the almond mixture a little at a time.

The egg whites is what binds the ingredients together to bring you a deliciously soft and chewy cookie with its distinctive crackled appearance.

You’ll have a stiff paste-like dough when done.

When you’re ready to roll the dough, dust both your hands and work surface with a little powdered sugar.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and roll out into logs of about 1 1/2 inch in diameter.

Wrap the logs individually with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. This makes for one great make ahead cookie dough.

When ready to bake, slice the the cookie dough into 24 equal portions and roll each into a ball.

Slightly flatten each cookie ball with the palm of your hand while forming them into an oval shape.

Place the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheets while spacing them 2 inches apart. The cookies don’t spread out while baking but will puff up somewhat.

Dust the top of the cookies generously with powdered sugar and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes.

They should be pale in colour when done. They’ll also be fragile when fresh out of the oven. So allow to cool with the cookies still on the cookie sheet while placed on a cooling rack.

The key to soft and chewy almond cookies, is to not over bake them. With my oven 12 minutes is sufficient.

Plan ahead steps

Day 1…you can blanch your own almonds if you’re so inclined. This is a process I really enjoy doing and extremely easy to do. See my notes below on how to blanch your own almonds.
Day 2…you can prepare the cookie dough and refrigerate over night.
Day 3…slice, shape and bake! It’s pretty simple right? Told you so!

The Legend of Ricciarelli Cookies

Aside from being a Sienese Christmas treat, these cookies are customarily shaped into an oval or diamond form.

Some would say that the oval shape was meant to represent the eyes of the Madonna by Renaissance painters.

However, according to one legend it is said that a noble knight, Ricciardetto Della Gherardesca introduced the diamond shaped form of this cookie. Its oval shape with the pointed tips greatly reminded him of the Sultan’s slippers from his crusades of the far East. Hence the name Ricciarelli!

Whatever shape or form you decide on, I’m sure you’ll agree these cookies reign supreme in elegance and simplicity.

Serve alongside your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo.

Happy baking dear friends!

How to blanch almonds

Blanching your own almonds is easy to do! And so worth the effort for optimal flavour too.

Place the almonds in a pot of boiling water and allow to simmer for about 60 to 70 seconds.

The almonds will start to rise and bob on the surface. The skins will look shrivelled up.

Drain the almonds and run them under cold water. Then pat dry with a clean dish towel.

One at a time, gently press on the almond between your thumb and index finger to release the nut from its skin.

Let the blanched almonds dry at room temperature on a clean dish towel before proceeding with the recipe. This can also be done overnight.

If you’re pressed for time you can dry the almonds in a low heated oven for about 5 minutes or so.

This post was originally published in December of 2018. And, updated and republished with new content and photos in July of 2020.

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Ricciarelli: Italian Almond Cookies

Ricciareli, Italian Almond Cookies are deliciously soft and chewy cookies with a distinctive crackled surface. A typical Sienese Christmas cookie.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time12 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gluten free cookie, Ricciarelli Italian Almond Cookies, Sienese almond cookies, Tuscan cookie

Servings: cookies

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

Food Processor
2 parchment lined baking sheets

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups blanched almonds see notes below for blanching your own
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
egg whites from 2 large eggs
powdered sugar for dusting approximately 1 cup

Instructions

Preparing The Cookie Dough

In a food processor, pulse together the blanched almonds with 3/4 cups of the powdered sugar until fine in texture.
Add in the remaining sugar, lemon zest, almond extract, the vanilla bean seeds and pulse together until very fine. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork just until foamy.
Add the beaten egg whites to the almond mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time while stirring just until you've achieved a stiff dough.
Dust your hands and a flat work surface with a little powdered sugar and roll out the cookie dough into a log about one inch and a half in diameter.
Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When Ready To Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Slice the cookie dough into 24 equal portions and roll each into a ball.
One at a time, slightly flatten each ball between the palms of your hands while forming into an oval shape.
Place the shaped cookies onto the prepared baking sheets while spacing them 2 inches apart.
Dust generously with powdered sugar.
Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the sides are pale golden in colour.
Take care not to over bake them. They should look dry and not overly dark.
Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet as these cookies are very soft and fragile when removed from the oven.
Enjoy with your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo.
They keep well for up to a week at room temperature sealed in an air tight container.

Notes

Blanching Almonds

Place the almonds in a pot of boiling water and allow to simmer for about 60 to 70 seconds. The almonds will start to rise and bob on the surface. The skin will have a shrivelled up appearance.

Drain the almonds and run under cold water then pat dry with a clean dish towel.

One at a time, gently press on the almond between your thumb and index finger to release the nut from its skin.

Allow the blanched almonds to dry at room temperature, on a clean dish towel, before proceeding with the recipe. This can also be done overnight.

If you're pressed for time you can dry the almonds in a low heated oven for 5 minutes or so.

Nutrition

Cherry Crumb Cake Recipe

July 10, 2020 by Marisa 37 Comments

A deliciously moist and tender Cherry Crumb Cake that is sure to receive rave reviews at your next potluck or barbecue. This easy to make breakfast type cake is crowned with fresh ruby red cherries and a lemon scented, almond crumb streusel topping.

Having a neighbouring outdoor farmer’s market that’s opened 24 hours a day certainly has its perks. Especially coming off work after a late evening shift!

This farmer’s market is in the heart of a bustling metropolis. The fruit and vegetable stands are filled great produce at extremely affordable prices. However, they’re only opened during the Spring to Fall.

With cherry season upon us and outdoor stands brimming with one of summer’s luscious fruits, who can resist the pull to purchase this delectable fruit!

I’d be quite content savouring every juicy bite while basking in the warmth of a beautiful sunny day. However… transforming them into a special baked treat…is definitely the cherry on the cake!

How to Make an Almond Streusel topping for a Crumb Cake

We’ll start first with this almond and lemon scented crumb topping.

Simply combine the flour, sugar, melted butter, sliced almonds, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

Stir the crumb top ingredients together until the mixture is crumbly. Use your hands to do this as it makes the job a whole lot easier.

Let it chill in the fridge while you pit the cherries.

And if you’re planning ahead, this almond streusel topping can be made and stored for up to 5 days.

How to Pit Cherries

To easily pit the cherries, it goes without saying that a cherry pitter is your best friend here!

But no worries if you don’t have one. You can just as easily quarter the cherries around the pit with a pairing knife.

I find it messier with a knife but it definitely gets the job done!

Once the cherries are all pitted, you can either slice them in half or in quarters. Both are fine for topping the cherry cake.

Set the cherries aside while you prepare the cake batter.

How to Make a Cherry Crumb Cake

With a stand mixer or a hand held mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
If using a stand mixer, make sure to stop occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat in the eggs one at a time while mixing well after each addition.
Mix in both the vanilla and almond extracts.
In a separate bowl, whisk well together the flour, baking powder and salt. This will remove any large lumps.
With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while alternating with the almond milk. You can substitute the almond milk with buttermilk or whole milk.
Pour the cake batter into a greased 8 inch springform pan and smooth the top with an off set spatula.

Scatter the pitted and quartered cherries evenly over the cake batter. If they overlap somewhat, it’s totally ok.

Sprinkle the almond crumb topping over the cherries while making sure to spread evenly over the cherries and covering them completely.

Bake the cherry cake for about 1 hour.

Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean when inserted in the middle, then you’re good.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.

Then release the cake and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust the cherry crumb cake with powdered sugar, slice and serve!

This cherry crumb cake has all the makings of a delicious coffee cake. It’s wonderfully soft and dense in texture.

It makes for a lovely contrast with the burst of cherries just beneath the crumbly layer of almond crumble topping.

And there’s definitely some sweet goodness in every bite!

Happy baking!

This recipe was originally published June 23, 2017 and republished with new content and photos July 10, 2020.

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Cherry Crumb Cake

An almond flavoured Cherry Crumb Cake recipe made with fresh cherries. This easy to make cake is crowned with a lemon scented streusel topping.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Breakfast cake, Cherry Crumb Cake, Coffee cake, Streusel cake

Servings:

Calories: 346kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

ALMOND CRUMB TOPPING

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FOR THE CHERRY CRUMB CAKE

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1/4 cup almond milk substitute with buttermilk or whole milk
1 pound cherries pitted and quartered

Instructions

ALMOND CRUMB TOPPING

Combine all ingredients for the almond crumb topping in a small bowl and stir until the mixture is crumbly.
The mixture can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

CHERRY CRUMB CAKE

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan then line the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes.
If using a stand mixer make sure to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
With the mixer reduced to low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while alternating with the almond milk.
Begin and end with the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Spread the pitted cherries evenly over the cake batter.
Sprinkle the almond crumb topping over the cherries.
Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before releasing the cake and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
The cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 6 days.

Notes

Recipe is adapted from Bake From Scratch Magazine July/August issue 2017 with a few switch-ups.

I omitted the pecans, lime and fresh ginger to the crumb topping simply for personal taste.

I replaced them with lemon zest and sliced almonds to enhance the almond taste in the crumb topping.

Also I substituted the buttermilk with almond milk because that's what I usually have readily on hand. And what I found is that it complements the almond flavour of the cherry cake quite well.

But feel free to use buttermilk or whole milk if you prefer.

Nutrition

Crespella with Nutella and Berries

July 3, 2020 by Marisa 18 Comments

This Crespella with Nutella recipe is an Italian oven baked pancake filled with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. It makes a perfect weekend indulgent breakfast or even brunch!

When we lived in the country, up in the Laurentians, we had these patches of wild strawberry bushes growing roadside which stretched for miles and miles.

The fruits looked like miniature versions of the store bought strawberries. They were also way smaller and sweeter than the more cultivated strawberries sold at markets today.

Whenever my nieces would come up and stay for the weekend we would happily trek down the hill to gather bowls full of these sweet little berries to serve alongside our crespella. All the more delicious enjoyed with their company!

What is a Crespella

A crespella is simply the Italian version of a french crêpe.

They can be rolled up, folded or even stacked together with either a savoury or sweet filling.

You don’t need a special crêpe pan to make this crespella. In fact any 12 inch oven proof pan will do.

This Italian crêpe recipe is my favourite way to use up Quebec strawberries which are exquisitely sweet and full of flavour.

In a pinch you can use any other favourite fruit of yours.

How to make an Italian Crespella with Nutella

For all the Nutella lovers who are looking for yet another way to enjoy their favourite chocolate hazelnut spread, you’re going to love this recipe.

You can turn just a few simple ingredients into something so delicious and spectacular looking that will surely please every member of your family.

And with this oven baked crespella, with its tender middle and crispy edges, no flipping is required!

So first, let’s start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees F.

If the handles of your frying pan are not oven proof, no worries! You can simply wrap the handles with aluminum paper to protect them.

While the oven preheats, mix all your ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.

Add the butter to the pan and allow to melt in the preheated oven.

Once the butter has melted, carefully pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

The crêpe will puff up prettily as it bakes and very impressively I might add. Much like a dutch baby pancake.

But once it’s removed from the oven it quickly deflates, creating a crevice to hold all the fresh juicy berries.

I find it has such a rustic appeal all on its own. However, once dusted with powdered sugar…then filled with berries…and topped with a drizzle of warm Nutella…it’s elegant enough for special company!

Nutella Drizzle for Crêpes

Warm the Nutella by heating it up in the microwave in 15 second intervals, until you achieve a drizzling consistency.

Alternately you can also thin it out by stirring some milk into it. Try it with a teaspoon at a time until you get a drizzling consistency.

I would not use almond milk as it has a high water content and might seize the chocolate.

You can serve this Italian crespella for breakfast, brunch or for just about anytime you need a quick and fuss free dessert!

Happy Baking!

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This recipe was originally published July 15, 2015 and republished June 3, 2020 with updated content and photos.

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Crespella with Nutella and Berries

Crespella with Nutella, a thin Italian pancake similar to french crêpes and topped with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time22 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: crêpes, Crespella with Nutella, dutch baby pancake, Italian crespella recipe, Italian pancake

Servings:

Calories: 428kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

12 inch oven proof skillet

Ingredients

3/4 all purpose flour
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ounce Grand Marnier liquor or brandy
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups of fresh berries strawberries, raspberries and blackberries
powdered sugar for dusting
1/2 cup nutella heated for drizzling (see notes below)

Instructions

Place a 12 inch ovenproof pan in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 450*F.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, milk and whisk all ingredients together.
When the oven reaches 450*F add the butter to your pan and heat in the oven till the butter turns golden, for about 1 minute.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. The crespella will puff up and look golden brown when ready.
When ready place the pan on a rack and let the crespella cool for about 5 minutes. It will quickly start to sink (and that is ok).
Dust with powdered sugar, place the mixed berries over the crespella and drizzle with the warm Nutella.

Notes

Warm the Nutella by heating it up in the microwave in 15 second intervals, until you achieve a drizzling consistency.

If you wish you can also thin it out by stirring some milk or cream into it. Try it with a teaspoon at a time until you get a drizzling consistency.

I would not use almond milk as it has a high water content and might seize the chocolate.

Nutrition