Anyone who knows me knows that I have a passion for shortbread. In their diversity they allow a considerable number of sweets to be made. I confess that I am a lover of the Sablée and of its friability.
The Sbrisolona (that origin in Italian city of Mantuan) whose name means “crumbles” has the characteristic that I appreciate most about the pastry: it is crumbly, unstable and very crunchy. I often prepare it by mixing almond powder with the flour and when I want to bring it closer to the Linzer Torte, I add powder of walnuts, hazelnuts and spices. A wonderful goodness.
The filling has endless variations, not only with jams and creams, but also with chocolate ganache, pieces of dried fruit and honey. In short, you can be very daring and always be impressed by its gluttony.
Today I propose the version with custard. I know everyone has his own method of making custard cream and if it works, keep it up. What I describe here is the method that I recently adopted and which, in my opinion, makes everything easier and more secure.
Well now I leave you in the kitchen and happy Sbrisolona to everyone!
Ingredients for the base of shortcrust pastry:
- 500 gweak flour (not more than 170 W)
- 250 gsugar
- 250 gbutter
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 baccavanilla
- 5 gbaking soda
- 1egg
For the custard
- 250 gwhole fresh milk
- 35 gcorn starch
- 100 ggranulated sugar
- 4medium-sized egg yolks
- 1/2vanilla bean
For the decoration
- 100 gchocolate drops
- icing sugar q.s.
Base preparation
Pour the flour, sugar, vanillin, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Mix well and add the melted butter. Start working the dough with your hands.
Also join the egg always working with your hands, until you get big crumbs.
Cover the bottom of a cake pan, lined with baking paper, with the base broken into large crumbs, to form a thick layer.
At this point pour the custard and add the chocolate drops
Cover with anothe crumbs of pastry, spreading them over the cream. It will have to be a thinner and less compact layer than the one at the base.
Place in a static oven at 160/170 ° and cook for about 30 minutes.
Preparation of custard:
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar with electric whisk. Add the seeds of the vanilla bean
Add the corn-starch to the mixture, continuing to whisk.
Put the milk in a saucepan to heat until it boils. Without turning off the heat, pour the egg and sugar mixture into the pan of hot milk.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT MIX. Wait for everything to boil again (especially in the centre) and at this point mix quickly and vigorously and you will see that the cream thickens in a moment.
Continue stirring for another minute and then turn off the heat. After mixing well pour the cream into a low and wide baking dish to cool it, covered with transparent film in contact. Then place the container in the refrigerator to complete cooling