When I found out that the main ingredients of this Pisan cake were chocolate, rice, candied fruit, and pine nuts, I just had to make one right away. Pine nuts and chocolate are among my favorites. Here’s my recipe for Torta coi Bischeri. What are bischeri? I’ll explain below.
Bischeri Cake | Pisan Chocolate & Pine Nut Tart
Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 1 stick soft butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
For the Filling:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup uncooked short-grain rice
- 3 oz dark chocolate chopped
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup mixed candied orange and citron chopped
- 2 tablespoons Strega liqueur or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract if unavailable
- 2 eggs
- A pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Mix Dough: In your mixer, combine eggs, sugar, soft butter in cubes, baking powder, lemon zest, and flour with salt. Mix briefly until you have a firm, smooth dough.2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup 1 stick soft butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Shape, Wrap and Chill Dough: Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it slightly with your hands. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook Rice: In a saucepan, mix the rice with ¾ cup of cold water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and cook until the water is absorbed.¾ cup uncooked short-grain rice
- Add Chocolate to Rice: Off the heat, mix in the dark chocolate until melted. Stir in the nutmeg, cocoa powder, and sugar, then refrigerate.½ cup granulated sugar, 3 oz dark chocolate, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, A pinch of nutmeg
- Prepare Crust and Form Beaks: Roll out a bit more than half of the dough on baking paper into a disk. Flip onto a greased and floured cake pan. Trim excess dough, then make diagonal cuts around the edge. Fold to form triangles (bischeri).
- Prepare Filling: To the cooled rice-chocolate mixture, add chopped candied fruits, raisins, liqueur (or vanilla), and eggs. Mix well.⅓ cup raisins, ⅓ cup mixed candied orange and citron, 2 tablespoons Strega liqueur, 2 eggs
- Fill and Decorate: Pour the filling into the crust and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle pine nuts on top. Roll out the remaining dough, cut into strips, and form a lattice over the filling. Exactly like the classic strips of dough you see on traditional pies.¼ cup pine nuts
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Let cool before serving.
Notes
- Use a dash of vanilla extract as a substitute for Strega liqueur. This is a widely available and excellent alternative in American kitchens.
- Arborio rice, commonly used in risotto, can replace short-grain rice. It offers a similar texture and absorption capacity, making it a suitable alternative.
- For the best flavor, make the cake a day ahead; it allows the flavors to meld.
- Store at room temperature under a glass dome or in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Bischeri Cake: The Pisan Cake with the Crown
Torta co’ Bischeri stands out as a remarkable testament to the inventive and rich heritage of Pisan cuisine, with its unique blend of chocolate, rice, pine nuts, raisins, and candied fruits, all enveloped in a tender shortcrust pastry, serves not just as a delicious dessert but as a narrative of Tuscany’s culinary diversity.
The name “co’ bischeri” is particularly fascinating, deriving from the peculiar pointed shapes of pastry that adorn the cake like a crown. These points, or “bischeri,” add a playful touch to the dish, reflecting a term steeped in local culture and humor, where “bischero” can teasingly refer to a fool or a naive person in Florentine dialect. Yet, here, it celebrates the creative spirit of Pisan pastry making, transforming a local idiom into a signature element of this dessert.
For those eager to delve deeper into the gastronomic treasures of Pisa, I highly encourage a visit to the link, where the journey through the city’s gastronomic specialties continues.
