Glorious Recipes: Dolce Torino (no-bake chocolate cake)

Today’s Glorious Recipe is for Dolce Torino, a no-bake chocolate cake inspired by the city of Turin. It’s taken from La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and The Art of Eating Well), written by Pellegrino Artusi and published in 1891.

A huge industrial city of great cultural and political importance, Turin is capital of the north-western region of Piedmont, the region famous for producing gianduja, a smooth, hazelnut-infused chocolate. The city is also home to Cioccolatò, a vast, week-long celebration of chocolate that occurs every autumn and takes over the whole of Turin. I want to go!   

When Giordano and I visited Turin together, we were struck by the city’s stunning and diverse architecture. Every time you turn a corner there is another beautiful building to admire and photograph!

The city’s most famous building is the Mole Antonelliana. When construction began it was originally intended to be a synagogue, but instead it was bought by the Municipality of Turin and made into a monument for unified Italy. At the time of its completion in 1889, it was the tallest brick building in Europe.

During our visit, Giordano and I were also amused by the fact that many shop fronts in the city centre look as though they’re made of chocolate. Many of the cafés and even the big chain shops under the city’s archways have these beautiful dark wooden shop fronts, making them even more inviting to tourists like me!

According to some theories, today’s recipe for Dolce Torino is also thought to have been an inspiration for one of Italy’s most famous desserts – and one of our specialities – the tiramisù.

To make Dolce Torino, you will need:

• 12 savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers, also used for making tiramisù)
• 100g unsalted butter (room-temperature)
• 100g chocolate (diced)
• 70g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 40g chopped hazelnuts
• A few drops of vanilla extract
• Marsala wine
• Glace cherries

• In a mixing bowl, using a whisk or electric hand mixer, whisk the softened butter, egg yolk and icing sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Take a small saucepan and add the diced chocolate, pour in the milk and melt slowly over a low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
• Once melted and while still warm, pour the chocolate into the mixing bowl with the butter, egg yolk and icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and stir well.
• Dip four savoiardi in the Marsala wine, one at a time. Arrange them on a serving plate and spread with 1/3 of the chocolate mixture.
• Repeat the above process for another two layers, making sure to also spread the chocolate mixture along the sides of the stacked savoiardi.
• Sprinkle the top layer with hazelnuts and garnish around the edges with glace cherries. Leave the dessert to set in the fridge overnight and serve cold.

If you love chocolate as much as we do, make sure you also check out our recipe for salame di cioccolato on this very blog.

A presto!

Laura