Talking about comfort food and traditions, if you’re around Florence or Tuscany right now you can’t miss the opportunity to taste this ancient cake! For those of you who are far away, but curious, we are going to provide a special recipe, so you can try it on your own and have a scented slice of Florence in your home. Looks interesting….isn’t it?

First of all what does “schiacciata” means? It means “squashed”, and is usually referred to our Florentine focaccia with olive oil. In this case, it is used for this large, flat cake, always in a rectangular shape, sugar powdered, with the symbol of the city (the stylised lily) on top, cocoa powdered. The cake is spongy and soft, flavoured with orange zest.

Unfortunately, traditional ingredients are often replaced nowadays, of couse changing its taste, oil or butter are used instead of lard and dry yeast instead of the fresh one. According to the original recipe, it is served plain, but now it can often be found filled with whipped cream or Italian chantilly (whipped cream+custard).

Intrigued enough? Here are some suggestions if you want to go to a pastry shop here in Florence and taste it with cappuccino or a coffee:

Giorgio, via Duccio da Buoninsegna, 36.

Marisa, via Circondaria 24/30r.

Serafini, via Gioberti 168.

Nencioni, via Pietrapiana 24/r.

Querci-Vieusseux , piazza Vieusseux 2/r

Nothing can replace a bakery cake, fresh from the oven, but we suggest you to try out

this recipe, suggested by mom Sonia, and let the Florentine Mardi Gras begin!

2 eggs,

14 tablespoons flour,

10 tablespoons of milk,

7 tablespoons of sugar,

5 tablespoons of olive oil (the original recipe is with 3oz/100gr. Of lard)

25 g of brewer’s yeast dissolved in some warm water or 1 tablespoon of natural baking powder

1 orange juiced and zested,

1 pinch of salt,

powdered sugar and cocoa bittersweet sugar for dusting.

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (180ºC)

If you are using fresh yeast: Mix the flour with the yeast dissolved in 150 ml of water and leave it covered in a warm place for a couple of hours. Then follow the recipe adding to the dough the remaining ingredients as follows (except flour and baking powder):

If you are using baking powder: In a bowl, mix the flour, the baking powder, beat in the oil or the lard, sugar, eggs, salt, orange zest and juice, until well combined. (You can use a mixer)

Place it in a buttered rectangular baking dish.

Bake it for 30 minutes or until the surface is golden. When cooled completely, dust with powdered sugar.

You can add the Florentine touch by cutting out a mask of the Florentine lily (giglio) and dust with bittersweet cocoa powder.

The cake is ready! For a modern touch cut through the middle of the cake and fill with some

whipped cream or Italian chantilly cream (half whipped cream, half custard).

If you love the result, or have some lovely traditions from your country and recipies to share let us now!