History
Pasticceria Flego writes that legend has a Veronese pastry chef, working on a cruise ship on Russian seas, fall in love and invent the cake to win a girl, while the less romantic say the name comes from its shape, which recalls a colbacco (fur hat). Flego says it does not know which is true and makes what it calls the original recipe, which it has produced for over sixty years. In Flego's online shop a whole torta russa costs €35 to €50 and a baby one €12; Trattoria Al Bersagliere lists torta russa at €7.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Almond (tree nut), Eggs, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 200g almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
- 200g 00 flour
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 60ml dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Icing sugar to finish
Method
- Heat the oven to 170C and butter a 22cm round cake tin, lining the base with parchment.
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the almond flour, 00 flour, baking powder and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in 3 additions.
- Fold in the rum, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool 15 minutes in the tin, then unmould and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Dust generously with icing sugar before serving.
Tip from the editors. The cake keeps 4 days at room temperature wrapped in baking paper; the rum-and-almond flavour intensifies on day two.
Where to eat torta russa
Torta Russa in Verona
Pasticceria Flego ★ 4.6
Pasticceria Flego at Via Stella 13 in Verona makes modern pastry cakes and also caters to the tastes of those nostalgic for the pastry of the past.
Trattoria Al Bersagliere ★ 4.8
Trattoria Al Bersagliere sits in the old borgo dei Filippini in the historic centre of Verona, offering the old, authentic Veronese flavours.
TipClosed on Saturday evenings in July and August; the wine list holds 200 labels, mostly Italian.
More places near Pasticceria Flego and Trattoria Al Bersagliere
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- La Griglia Steak house, about 150 m away
- Osteria da Ugo Italian, about 200 m away
- Iris Ristorante Italian, about 200 m away
- Café Martel Cafes, about 250 m away
- Antica Bottega del Vino Italian, about 300 m away
- Trattoria Tre Marchetti Italian, about 300 m away
More cities are in research. Want torta russa covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.