torta crumble alle pere

A simple crumb cake recipe should be in everyone’s baking arsenal and this pear and ricotta crumb cake is Italian snack cake perfection. There are no complicated steps, no mixer required, and no exotic ingredients. It’s just pure deliciousness from a few pantry staples, fresh ricotta cheese, and ripe pears.

Fruit cakes like these are very commonplace in Italy and are eaten for breakfast, afternoon snack, or for dessert. Using any in-season fruit, you might find a torta of apple, peach or apricot.

I’ve harkened back to my love of a New York style crumb cake, piled high with a crunchy, buttery, and sweet crumble, and decided to bring a little of that inspiration to my Italian bakes. I’ve taken a soft ricotta cake and added a crunchy crumble topping. I think it’s the best of both worlds!

Ingredients

Cake:

Flour – type 00
Leavener – lievito in polvere per dolci
Cinnamon
Salt
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Neutral oil
Ricotta cheese
Pears

Crumble:

Butter
Flour
Sugar
Walnuts

Ricotta is an Italian “whey cheese”, meaning it is made from the leftover whey from when milk is heated and separated to make cheese. Ricotta literally translates to “recooked”, so the whey is reheated with a bit of citrus or vinegar, and a fine curd develops. This is then strained through a cheesecloth and ricotta cheese remains. It can be made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey, but generally what we find in the store now is whole milk from a cow.

Here in Italy, baking powder is sold as lievito in polvere per dolci, “powdered yeast for desserts” and is often lightly scented with vanilla. For this recipe, 2 teaspoons baking powder can be substituted for the Italian leavener.

Using a neutral oil as opposed to unsalted butter produces a light and fluffy cake and contributes to the moistness, along with the help of the ricotta. Sunflower oil is common here in Italian, but any neutral oil will work, like vegetable or canola.

Step by Step

To start this pear and ricotta crumb cake, first prepare the crumble mixture. Melted butter produces a crumb topping that is extra crunchy. Mix together the butter, flour, sugar, and nuts. The consistency might seem strange, a bit like wet sand. But that is correct. Just put it in the fridge to firm up slightly while you prepare the cake.

Next, preheat the oven to 180°C .

Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. You can use a round cake pan, or a springform pan is even easier!

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: 00 flour, leavener, cinnamon and salt. I love the combination of cinnamon and pears – it’s not overwhelming but just gives them some warm notes.

In a separate bowl, begin the wet ingredients with the sugar and eggs. Whisk them until smooth and velvety. You can use an electric mixer, but whisking by hand works just fine as well.

Add in the oil and ricotta and continue to mix until combined.

Now, add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate, just until all the flour is absorbed. Gently fold in the pears.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Take the crumble mixture from the fridge, break it up into coarse crumbs and sprinkle it evenly on top. It’s ok if it seems too hard, this will make for a really crunchy crumble! Give the crumble mixture a good squeeze with your hands and fingers to create some bigger and smaller clumps.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve the pear and ricotta crumb cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Tips and FAQs

Substitutions

2 teaspoons baking powder can be substituted for the Italian leavener.
All-purpose flour can be substituted for the type 00 flour.

Pear and Ricotta Crumb Bars

Only have a square pan? No problem! A 20x20cm square pan (8x8inch) bakes for the same amount of time as a 23cm round cake pan or springform (9inch round). Cut into squares and voila – crumb bars!

Variations

Try pecans or almond slivers instead of walnuts. Or simply omit the walnuts for a nut-free cake!
Substitute apples for the pears. And if you love combining apples and pears, try an apple and pear crumble tart.

Storage

Cover cake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

More Italian Desserts

Tiramisu Tart

Plum Ricotta Galetta

Nutella Biscotti Bars