Tuscan castagnaccio is a distinctive cake made with chestnut flour, olive oil, raisins, pine nuts and rosemary.
Il castagnaccio is a traditional cake, made with chestnut flour, typical of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria and Piedmont. Prepared with the variations typical of its area of origin, it is everywhere considered something of a symbol cake of autumn!
The simplicity of the ingredients shows how castagnaccio began life as a humble cake, made with one of the most widely available products in the countryside: chestnuts.
Tuscan castagnaccio – as set out in the original recipe – calls for just a handful of ingredients. The cake is decorated with pine nuts and raisins, which echo the flavours of the cake, along with fresh rosemary needles.
It's a classic cake with a rustic flavour, a soft texture and an intoxicating autumnal aroma of chestnuts that everyone always loves! What's more, castagnaccio is also a cake without yeast, lactose, eggs or gluten, making it naturally vegetarian and vegan!
To make Tuscan castagnaccio (recipe for 8 people): in a bowl, combine the chestnut flour (250g), sugar (20g) and a pinch of salt; whisk the dry ingredients together by hand and gradually add the water (about 325ml), whisking to hydrate the flour and obtain a smooth, thick, lump-free batter. Meanwhile, soak the raisins (40g) in hot water for about ten minutes. Add the well-squeezed raisins and pine nuts (40g) to the mixture, setting a few aside to decorate the cake. Brush a baking tin with a little oil and pour in the batter. Scatter the remaining raisins and pine nuts over the surface of the cake, along with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before serving… all that's left now is to taste your castagnaccio!