Torta delle rose

GialloZafferano’s selected torta delle rose is a Mantuan-style brioche cake shaped like a basket of rosebuds. A butter-and-sugar filling lies between the spirals of its enriched dough, with a syrup glaze on the golden top.

An own starter combines Manitoba flour, fresh yeast, cold butter and whole milk. Once risen, it joins a main dough with further flour, yeast and milk, followed by sugar, two whole eggs, butter and salt.

The risen dough is rolled into a rectangle and spread with the separate butter-and-sugar filling. Rolling from the long side forms a log that is cut into one larger central spiral and six smaller surrounding pieces.

These seven pieces rise together in a separately buttered tin until their gaps close. A separate yolk and fresh cream brush the surface before baking.

While the whole cake is still warm, a cooled water-and-sugar syrup is brushed over it before serving. The recipe places this soft rose-shaped cake in Mantuan baking and suggests it for breakfast or a sweet afternoon snack.