Italian Christmas Torta Made With Pandoro

torta

I came across this Italian Christmas Torta at the end of the Christmas holiday last year and although I did make it I never posted it on my blog, well now is the time!

As we get closer to Christmas I’ll be posting some of my favorite cookies, cakes and desserts. This torta or cake is a fun dessert to make that requires no baking at all, it can be a nice little project that you can do with the kids and you can get as creative as you want.

pandoro

The star of the show is a Pandoro cake, you can find them in most supermarkets and Italian markets almost everywhere this time during the holidays. Pandoro is basically Panettone but without the raisins and candied fruits inside, but that rich, eggy, sweet dough remains the same.

I love using Pandoro to create the look of a Christmas tree as I did here and here. It’s fun and easy to do and very impressive as a centerpiece on your holiday table.

That’s why I was drawn to this recipe when I saw it in a one minute video on Chef Club Italia. I kept watching it over and over until I finally got it!

 

whipped custard

You need a filling for the cake, in the past for my Pandoro Christmas cakes I used a mix of heavy whipped cream with mascarpone and lemon curd folded in.  I’ve also used the same mix with Amaretto liquor as the flavor mixed in. If you want to make it  easy, you can use vanilla or chocolate instant pudding with whipped cream and mascarpone folded in as well, or even a traditional tiramisu filling.

For this recipe and because it was my first try I used a box of instant vanilla mousse and folded it in the mixture of whipping cream and mascarpone. I like using the combination of the two because the mascarpone helps to stiffen and stabilize the whipped cream so it doesn’t get runny.

paper star

The next thing you’ll need is an image for the top of  the Italian Christmas Torta, you can either draw it freehand on paper or find an image on the Internet and print it out as I did. I picked a star but you can do a Christmas tree, a bell, snowman whatever you like, that’s the creative part.

 

sliced pandoro

You’ll be slicing the Pandoro horizontally and placing it on the bottom of an eight or nine inch spring form pan, which ever it fits in best. Make sure to use the biggest slice of the whole cake on the bottom of the pan.

Each slice you use, ( a total of three for the whole cake) should be brushed with either a liquor of some sort, like limoncello if using a lemon filling, Amaretto, espresso, or just a simple syrup to make it kid friendly, but it’s important that each layer be brushed to moisten and flavor it.

sliced pandoro

The other two slices will be cut on a diagonal and that will be for the sides of the cake, again brushing them before fitting them into the pan.

sliced pandoro

So again in total you’ll need three slices cut about one inch thick, the biggest for the bottom and the next two biggest for the sides.

pandoro

 

pandoro

I used some of the leftover Pandoro and stuffed it into the spaces that are between the side and bottom, as shown in the previous photo.

cream filled pandoro

Next you take the cream filling that has been whipped up and mixed together and spoon it in until you reach the top of the cake.

cream stuffed pandorastar cut out

Now place the cut out image of your choice and place it on top of the cream then sprinkle cocoa powder liberally all over it.

coco dusted

Then find an edge of your design and lift it off gently starting it with the tip of a knife to help lift it up, you should see the image perfectly!

christmas torta

When you lift it off and the design shows you can now decorate it even more with sprinkles or whatever else you choose or leave it as is.

christmas torta

This cake is best made the day before, which is nice prep for a party and because it has to be refrigerated well overnight.  So cover the top with tented foil and stick it in the fridge to chill and meld together. You can also wait till the morning of to place your image and cocoa powder on, that works also.

christmas torta

The next day you can pop the spring on the pan and remove the band and cut the cake into wedges to serve, by then it will be all melded together.

Another fun, no bake Italian Christmas Torta to make this holiday season, I’ll be making it again this year, I hope you give it a try!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Italian Christmas Torta Made With Pandoro
 
Refer to the blog post for a step by step with some added suggestions. This is a NO BAKE dessert that must be made the day before for best results.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 8 or 9 inch spring form pan
  • 1 cut out design for top of cake ( refer to blog post )
  • 1 large box of Pandoro, Italian cake
  • 3 large 1 inch slices of Pandoro sliced horizontally, one will be kept whole and the other two will be cut on the diagonal for the sides.
  • 1 envelope of vanilla instant mousse, made according to directions. ( there are other variations you can use, refer to blog post)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup mascarpone, room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons, powdered sugar to sweeten the cream
  • simple syrup, Amaretto, Limoncello, espresso to moisten the cut slices of pandoro, ( refer to blog post for ideas)
  • cocoa powder for dusting and garnish
  • additional sprinkles if needed
Instructions
  1. Make three 1 inch Horizontal slices on the Pandoro
  2. Take the largest slice and lay it in the pan.
  3. Brush and moisten the slice with liquor or simple syrup.
  4. Slice the other two pieces diagonally as shown in blog post, make sure to moisten them as well.
  5. With point facing down place them around the sides of the cake, they will fit between the points of the bottom layer.
  6. Fill in the open spaces with remaining Pandoro.
  7. Make mousse or pudding according to package and set aside.
  8. Whip the cream with the mascarpone until stiff, then fold in some of the mousse, you might not use it all, make sure the mixture still keeps shape and not be runny.
  9. You can also add flavoring at this point if you like, any liquor or espresso, taste to your liking.
  10. Fill the prepared cake to the top with the cream mixture.
  11. Add your cut out image by placing it on top of the cream and sprinkle liberally with cocoa powder.
  12. ( you can do the image placing the next day after you've refrigerated it if you prefer, it doesn't matter)
  13. Please make this a day ahead of time so you can refrigerate it overnight.
  14. Gently remove the image after dusting of cocoa powder and if need be add a few sprinkles of your choice.
  15. Slice in wedges and serve.

 

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Italian Christmas Tree Cake with Lemon Curd and Limoncello

Italian Christmas tree cake I know it’s definitely Christmas time when I start to see all the colorful boxes of panettone and pandoro sold in almost every store I walk into. Both breads are decadent and sweet and most Italians love to eat them for dessert and breakfast, as well as giving them out as gifts during the holidays.

The difference between the two is that panettone is studded with nuts and dried fruits and pandoro is plain, no fruit or nuts but rich in butter and egg like a fluffy brioche, golden in color and baked in a pretty star- shaped pan.

pandoro You can make pandoro into a Christmas tree shape by cutting the star-shaped loaf horizontally and then rotating the layers.

It’s fun to make, very festive and it doesn’t take long to put it together, it can be a fun project to do with your kids and the best part is, there’s no baking involved!

christmas tree cake Here I made an adult version by brushing the layers with limoncello. In the past I’ve used Amaretto, which is equally amazing, but feel free to eliminate the liqueur all together if you want, it’s not necessary.

Then there’s the mascarpone and whipped cream mix, together they create a nice stable consistency which will hold your cake together and give you that look of “snow”. I also folded in some good quality, store-bought lemon curd into the whipped cream mixture, I’ll just let you imagine how good it is, no words needed.

For a kids version think Nutella swiped onto the layers along with the whipped cream and mascarpone mixture.

Honestly the flavor possibilities are endless as well as the decorating part. You can put fresh berries on the star points to make it look like ornaments and if you don’t want fresh fruit you can use candied cherries, sprinkles, crushed candy canes, shaved chocolate, edible stars. The baking isle of your store will give you a ton of inspiration.

You can make a nice presentation for your holiday table by decorating your serving platter with some fake greenery and pine cones like I did, or just wander into a craft store to get your own awesome ideas.

christmas tree cake

The fun part is decorating the very top, I found an acrylic star ornament that I can reuse, I just cut off the string and popped it into the cake. Here again the possibilities are endless, you could even use one of your own decorated cookies, that would be a really nice touch.

christmas tree cakechristmas tree cake

I hope you give this a try and if you do I would love to see all your creations!

Follow me on Instagram where you can see what else I’m cooking up daily during the holidays.

5.0 from 4 reviews
Italian Christmas Tree Cake with Lemon Curd and Limoncello
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 large Pandoro
  • ½ cup of Limoncello or other liqueur (optional)
  • 1 small jar of good quality store-bought lemon curd 10 oz. ( You won't use it all)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temp
  • 2 heaping tablespoons, powdered sugar
  • edible stars, white pearl sprinkles or anything else you want to decorate with
  • A topper for your tree cake, I used a star ornament
  • platter decorations
Instructions
  1. Turn the Pandoro on it's side and carefully cut six slices horizontally.
  2. In a large mixing bowl add the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar, cream well beating with a mixer.
  3. Next add the heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture, beating well into stiff peaks, not soft and loose.
  4. Fold in lemon curd, start with a heaping tablespoon and keep adding more to taste and stiffness of the cream mixture, remember you don't want it runny.
  5. Place the largest slice onto your serving platter.
  6. Brush first layer with limoncello, if not using liqueur just brush the layer with a thin swipe of lemon curd.
  7. Spread cream mixture all over the top.
  8. Top with the next largest slice making sure to angle it so the points of the star do not align.
  9. Repeat with the limoncello and cream mixture on each layer and finally the top.
  10. At this point you can refrigerate it over night and decorate it closer to the time you will be serving it. I've done it hours before. Try not to serve it ice cold from the fridge, let it sit out a little.
  11. To cut remover layer by layer and cut into serving size, when you get towards the bottom you can cut into wedges.
  12. Remember, the skies the limit on flavor and decorating, make it your own!

 

Signature

Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake with Amaretto and Mascarpone Whipped Cream

pandoro Christmas tree I’m excited to share this festive cake with you and you don’t even have to do any baking, it has a beautiful presentation because it resembles a snowy Christmas tree, it comes together in no time and it will certainly impress your guests!

Do you want to know what it is?

pandoro at Eataly Chicago It’s called Pandoro, or golden cake and it’s something you buy, it’s sold almost everywhere during the holidays. You can find it along with Panettone at most supermarkets, pastry shops and Italian markets, I’ve even seen it in T.J. Maxx and Marshals this time of year. I went to Eataly Chicago last weekend and they were displayed everywhere.

Pandoro is a traditional sweet bread from Verona, golden in color because of the large amount of egg yolks used, there are no nuts or dried fruit like in Panettone and it’s baked in a star shaped mold. Trust me, it’s heaven in a pretty box!

pandoro You can buy  the large size as well as the smaller, more individual ones, pretty much the same way they sell Panettone.

I have to be honest, I’ve never made this Christmas tree cake before so I opted for the smaller version just to see how it would turn out, I’ve seen it done on different blogs and websites in the past and always loved the look of it, such a festive dessert and the taste is decadent!

I’m here to say this is a wonderful addition to your holiday table, I know now by making the smaller version, that the larger one will be on my table.

sliced pandoro  Horizontally cut the Pandoro gives you beautiful star shaped slices that you can now layer with whipped cream, mascarpone or a custard, you can also flavor it with Amaretto, Limoncello, Rum,  chocolate, whatever you so desire.

sliced pandoro I used Amaretto to brush on my slices and to flavor my cream mixture, it was divine! You can embellish it anyway you want even using fresh fruits and nuts.

pandoro christmas tree The layers build upon each other to form the look of a Christmas tree, the perfect addition to your sweet table this holiday season!

Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake with Amaretto and Mascarpone Whipped Cream
 
Ingredients
  • This recipe is for a 3.5 oz. Pandoro, you can double everything for the larger size.
  • 1 cup, heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup of mascarpone, room temp
  • 1 heaping tablespoon, powdered sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
  • 2 teaspoons of Amaretto to flavor the cream mixture,plis additional for brushing layers
  • toasted sliced almonds for garnish and between layers,
  • white sprinkles, optional
Instructions
  1. Cream Mixture
  2. In a mixing bowl add the mascarpone and the heaping powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
  3. Add in the heavy cream and the 2 teaspoons of Amaretto and beat mixture into stiff peaks.
  4. Slice the Pandoro horizontally, being careful not to break the points of the star shape. Place the largest slice on a serving dish then brush with Amaretto, then spread cream mixture on top with some toasted almonds.
  5. Place the next largest slice on top placing it on an angle so the points of the stars are staggered alternate layers.
  6. Repeat with the Amaretto and cream mixture on every slice and continuing to stagger the layers until you reach the top.
  7. Place cream mixture on the very top, sprinkle with almonds and other garnishments.
  8. Dust all over with powdered sugar.
  9. This can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept in a cool place.

 

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