Ingredients
Cake
- 500 gplain flour
- 200 gsugar
- 100 gbutter, melted
- 2eggs
- 150 mlmilk
- 16 gbaking powder
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tbspaniseed, optional
To finish
- 1egg white
- granulated sugar, for the crust
To serve
- Albana or another sweet white wine
Directions
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale, then beat in the melted butter, milk, lemon zest and vanilla.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until only just combined. Do not overwork it: this is a dense, close-grained cake and beating air into it gives entirely the wrong crumb.
- Turn the soft dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a long flattened loaf, then curve it into a rough ring.
- It is called a ring and is just as often baked as a flattened oval loaf instead. Either shape is correct and nobody in Romagna will object.
- Brush all over with lightly beaten egg white.
- Scatter granulated sugar heavily across the top. The crunchy sugar crust is a defining feature, and caster sugar simply dissolves and leaves you with nothing.
- Score the top lengthways with a sharp knife.
- Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and firm to the touch.
- Cool completely. It is meant to be dry and dense rather than moist, because its entire purpose is dunking.
- Cut into thick slices and dip into sweet Albana wine at the end of a meal, which is how it is eaten in Romagna and San Marino.
- It keeps for a week in a tin and improves over the first two days.
Technique
- Dry is correct. If yours is moist and tender it will fall apart in the glass, which defeats the object.
- Granulated sugar on top, not caster. It is the single most visible detail of the cake.
- Aniseed is optional and traditional in some households, absent in others.
Substitutions
- Olive oil in place of melted butter, which is the older country version.
- Any sweet white wine for dunking if Albana is unavailable.
Variations
- With a splash of anise liqueur in the dough.
- With raisins or candied peel folded through.
- Baked as small individual rings for children.
History
The everyday Romagnol and Sammarinese cake, baked for holidays and dipped in Albana wine.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ciambella romagnola?
Ciambella romagnola is a dessert from San Marino: dense lemon-scented ring cake dunked in sweet wine after dinner. The everyday Romagnol and Sammarinese cake, baked for holidays and dipped in Albana wine.
How long does Ciambella romagnola take to make?
Ciambella romagnola takes 20 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 ring, 12 slices. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Ciambella romagnola?
Yes, within limits. Olive oil in place of melted butter, which is the older country version. Any sweet white wine for dunking if Albana is unavailable.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ciambella romagnola?
Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until only just combined. Do not overwork it: this is a dense, close-grained cake and beating air into it gives entirely the wrong crumb.
