Abruzzo-style sweet pizza: a sponge cake soaked with alcoholic syrups

Sweet pizza is one of the most beloved desserts in Abruzzo. Actually it’s not a pizza. It’s nothing more than a sponge cake soaked with 2 types (or even 4!) of alcoholic syrups. Known as “pizza dogge” in the Abruzzese dialect, this dessert hails from Teramo and is reserved for special occasions like birthdays, holidays, and festive gatherings.

The classic version of Abruzzese sweet pizza boasts a sumptuous filling of creamy pastry and indulgent chocolate, elegantly draped with a glaze of whipped egg whites and adorned with delicate almond shavings. As often happens in Italian tradition, there are other versions, which include a third filling: some opt for luscious almond paste, others for the bittersweet allure of mocha cream, while others layer it with the vibrant essence of Montepulciano grape jam, known locally as “scrucchiata”.

Crafting this delectable treat is no small feat, demanding both patience and precision. But fear not, for we shall guide you through each step, starting with the preparation of the sponge cake, which can conveniently be made a day in advance to streamline the process.

Ingredients (for a cake serving 10-15 people)

For the sponge cake:

• 300 g of all-purpose flour
• 300 g of sugar
• 10 medium-sized eggs

For the cream:

• 1 liter of fresh whole milk
• 80 g of cornstarch
• 6 egg yolks
• 140 g of sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60 g of dark chocolate (for the chocolate cream)

For the first syrup:

• Rum (about 70-80 grams)
• Water (about 70-80 grams)
• 40 g of coffee
• 4 teaspoons of sugar

For the second syrup:

• Alchermes liqueur (about 60 grams)
• Water (about 40 grams)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar

For the glaze:

• 2 egg whites
• 150 g of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

For the decoration:

• 40 g of shaved almonds

Preparation of Sweet Pizza

Sponge Cake

1. Let’s start by preparing the sponge cake using the “cold method”, which involves beating whole eggs with sugar without separating the yolks from the whites.
2. Take a large bowl, big enough to hold the resulting mixture. Crack the whole eggs into it, ensuring they are at room temperature. Add the sugar and beat with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) for about 15-20 minutes.
3. After sifting the flour 2 or 3 times, gradually add it to the beaten egg mixture, being careful not to deflate it. This step must be done manually, without using the electric whisk and, above all, without rushing. It’s preferable to add the flour one spoonful at a time to avoid lumps, gently folding it in from bottom to top with a spatula to fully incorporate everything.
4. Once all the flour is incorporated, pour the batter into a buttered and floured cake pan, and bake for about 40 minutes at around 180°C in a preheated conventional oven. Never open the oven during baking, as this could cause the sponge cake to collapse. After 30-35 minutes, you can check the sponge cake’s doneness by gently touching the surface: if it’s still too soft, leave it in the oven a little longer.
5. When fully baked, remove the sponge cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before removing it from the pan and slicing it.

Cream Preparation

1. Prepare two glass bowls; in one, place 60 grams of roughly chopped dark chocolate and set aside. Place a saucepan with fresh whole milk on the stove, add the zest of one lemon, and heat over low flame.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale (for about 5-10 minutes). While continuing to beat, gradually add the sifted flour and combine.
3. Meanwhile, the milk should become hot (careful: it should not boil!). Remove the lemon zest, then pour a ladle of hot milk over the beaten egg mixture with the electric beaters running and mix for a couple of minutes.
4. Pour the entire mixture into the saucepan with the milk and cook the custard, stirring constantly. This will take about 10 minutes. As soon as the custard begins to thicken and “puff up”, remove it from the heat.
5. Now divide the custard and place half in the glass bowl with the chocolate and half in the other bowl. After a couple of minutes, mix the custard with the chocolate, using a spoon to combine and create the chocolate cream.
6. Cover the creams with plastic wrap and let them cool. At this point, if desired, you can also prepare the almond paste. Otherwise, your creams are ready to fill the cake.

Almond Paste

1. Toast 150 grams of peeled almonds in the oven or in a small skillet. Then finely grind them using a mixer. Boil 125 grams of sugar with 75 grams of water in a saucepan for a few minutes.
2. Gradually add the ground almonds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook until you get a creamy and grainy paste, then let it cool completely.

Assembly

1. Take the sponge cake and divide it into 3 equally thick layers. Moisten the first layer with the rum syrup diluted with water, coffee, and sugar mixed well (reserve half for the final layer). Spread the chocolate cream on top. Spread the almond paste over the chocolate cream.
2. If the almond paste has hardened and is difficult to spread, don’t worry: just heat it for 1 minute on the stove to soften it.
3. Now take the second layer and place it on top of the first one, moisten it with the Alchermes syrup, and fill it with the pastry cream.
4. Take the final layer, moisten the top with the rum syrup to soften it, and place it on top of the second layer (the final layer should be placed on the cake upside down, so it softens when in contact with the cream). Now moisten the remaining exposed surface.
5. Place the cake in the refrigerator overnight: the secret to a perfect sweet pizza is letting it rest all night to fully develop its flavors.

Glaze

A few hours before serving the sweet pizza, prepare the glaze. It’s a hand-whipped glaze made of egg whites and sugar. It’s not the simplest, but not impossible either. Alternatively, you can skip this step and cover the sweet pizza with whipped cream. The rules for hand-whipping egg whites to stiff peaks are as follows:

– The egg whites must be very fresh and at room temperature.

– Use only stainless steel or glass bowls for whipping, no plastic.

– There should be no traces of yolks in the egg whites, or they won’t whip properly.

– Both the bowl and beaters must be perfectly clean.

– A few drops of lemon juice are crucial for achieving perfect stiffness when whipping egg whites.

1. Start beating the egg whites with a fork. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and continue beating until foamy.
2. Then, gradually add the sugar in two or three portions and whip vigorously and for a long time with a hand whisk. You should achieve a soft, creamy consistency.
3. Afterward, decorate with shaved almonds. After all the hard work, your Abruzzese sweet pizza is finally ready to be enjoyed. Buon appetito!