Torta Paesana (Lombard Bread and Amaretti Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Easy

Torta Paesana (Lombard Bread and Amaretti Cake)

Stale bread is soaked in warm milk and mixed with amaretti, cocoa, chocolate, fruit and raisins, then baked until set. It is rustic, moist and not very sweet. Makes 1 cake in about 2 hr 40 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 60 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 40 min

Servings 10

Ingredients

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servings

10 ½ oz (300 g)stale white bread, crusts on, cubed
3 ¾ cups (900 ml)whole milk, warm
4 oz (120 g)amaretti cookies, hard, crushed
2 oz (60 g)dark chocolate, melted
4 tbsp (20 g)unsweetened cocoa powder
2 (100 g)eggs, large
⅔ cup (120 g)granulated sugar
½ cup (70 g)raisins
7 tbsp (50 g)pine nuts
5 ½ oz (150 g)pears or apples, peeled, finely diced
1 tbsp (6 g)orange zest, finely grated
1 pinchfine salt
½ tbsp (10 g)unsalted butter, for the pan
1 ½ tbsp (10 g)fine breadcrumbs, for the pan

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Instructions

Put the bread cubes and orange zest in a large bowl, pour the warm milk over, stir, cover and soak 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 24 cm (9.5 inch) springform pan and dust with the breadcrumbs.
Soak the raisins in a little warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. Mash the bread mixture with a fork or whisk to a rough paste.
Stir in the crushed amaretti, melted chocolate, cocoa and pinch of salt.
Beat the eggs and sugar lightly and add to the bread mixture, then fold in the raisins, pine nuts and diced pear.
Pour into the pan and level the top.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes until set, firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean; the center should reach 160 F (71 C).
Cool completely in the pan before unmolding; the cake slices better when cold.

Tips

Use dry day-old bread; fresh bread turns gummy.
Add more milk if the mixture seems stiff and not loose.
Serve plain or with whipped cream.
Bake until the cake reaches 160 F (71 C) because it contains raw eggs and milk.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make torta paesana (lombard bread and amaretti cake)?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 1 hour of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 1 cake (10 servings).

How should I store torta paesana (lombard bread and amaretti cake)?

Cover and keep at room temperature 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.

Can I make torta paesana (lombard bread and amaretti cake) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A Lombard bread cake from Brianza, also made in Italian-speaking Switzerland, that turns stale bread into a dessert. Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

316 Calories / serving

9.4g Fat

51.3g Carbs

9.5g Protein

29.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3160 cal · 94g fat · 513g carbs · 95g protein · 293g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.