Tarta de frangipane: Cómo hacerla desmenuzable y súper cremosa

In recent years, a growing trend has been the rediscovery of family traditions. We search through bookshelves and ceilings for old cookbooks and cook for our children and grandchildren the dishes we grew up eating. We try to offer the people we love the comforting taste of the wholesome things that intrigued us as children, and we remember those kitchen gestures our mothers and grandmothers used. These are tried-and-tested recipes, which reassure us, but also inspire us to make small changes to make them more contemporary: perhaps cooking times are reduced, some ingredients are replaced with others we discovered as adults: small contemporary touches that preserve the magic that emanates in the kitchen when, for example, a cake comes out of the oven.

This time, we've tried our hand at one of the most classic desserts: a tart with cream and fresh fruit. In homage to one of Italy's finest products, we've replaced the almond flour in the frangipane cream with pistachio flour, which we also used chopped pistachios for a crunchy topping. Strawberries are among the most beloved seasonal fruits and can be substituted with other varieties in the coming months: in summer, peaches and apricots are a good choice, while in the colder months, try the same tart with apples and pears.

The cream of kings

Frangipane is a creamy almond flour mixture traditionally used to make Galette des Rois, a typical French Epiphany dessert. Rich, fragrant, and soft, it's an irresistible filling for cakes and biscuits. The recipe's origins are uncertain, but it traces its roots back centuries; some sources claim that Count Cesare Frangipani gave the recipe to Catherine de' Medici on the occasion of her wedding to the future king of France. The secret ingredient for achieving a creamy and perfectly textured pastry? A truly special butter.

Not all butter is the same

Not everyone knows that butter can be produced in two ways, with very different quality results. The first method, by skimming, produces butter made from the cream left over from dairy production and therefore a byproduct of cheesemaking. The second method, by centrifugation, produces butter made directly from fresh milk. This process preserves the cream's organoleptic characteristics, resulting in a high-quality butter that retains the aroma and pure, sweet flavor of fresh cream.

To be sure you're buying good butter, look for the words "centrifugal butter" or "centrifugal cream butter" on the label. Campina recently launched a new product, a butter made from centrifuged cream that simplifies dough kneading thanks to its extreme softness, even straight from the refrigerator. It blends perfectly with other ingredients, ensuring better aeration of the dough: the result is crumbly pastries that retain their fragrance longer. Wondering what the secret to its softness is? The cows' diet, which is free to graze and feeds on fresh grass, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Our recipe: Frangipane, pistachio, and strawberry tart

300 g 00 flour 180 g Campina butter 150 g icing sugar 70 g egg yolks 40 g almond flour 20 g pistachio flour 3 g cake yeast salt

150 g Campina butter 150 g pistachio flour 150 g granulated sugar 150 g eggs 25 g 00 flour

500 g fresh strawberries 150 g strawberry jam 25 g chopped pistachios

In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar together with a spatula. Add the egg yolks, at room temperature, a little at a time, until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Add a pinch of salt, the pistachio flour, and the almond flour; finally, sift the 00 flour with the baking powder and gently fold it into the mixture, without overworking the pastry. Gather the pastry dough onto a pastry board, using a pastry scraper; shape it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, at room temperature, one at a time, continuing to beat the mixture with the whisk. Finally, fold in the pistachio flour and 00 flour. Transfer the frangipane cream to a piping bag.

Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3-5 mm and line a 26 cm cake pan. Spread the strawberry jam on the base, then spread the frangipane cream on top, using a piping bag to spread the mixture from the center of the cake outward. Bake in a preheated oven at 165°C (325°F) for about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the tart cool completely. Slice the strawberries and garnish the surface of the tart, finishing with chopped pistachios.