Not just grapefruit and lemons, but also excellent chinotto, bergamot, and rare Pernambucco oranges grow in Liguria's excellent citrus groves, often transformed into candied fruit, jams, soft drinks, and extraordinary recipes, like this one. This rustic, delicious dessert encompasses all the jewels of the cold season: walnuts and hazelnuts , raisins and pine nuts , honey , homemade bread , passito wine , and white wine .
Desserts with oranges
For those with a sweet tooth, the chocolate tart with candied orange and lemon is also ideal for the holidays, as is the saffron and orange zest tree tart . The unusual version of the orange caprese with almond flour is taller and softer, and is a gluten-free dessert.
November 2025
Recipe by Giovanna Ruo Berchera, photo by Laura Spinelli
Peel the oranges , removing only the orange pith, and cut the peel into short julienne strips. Then peel the oranges, cut them into rounds, and then into very small pieces. Peel the apples , cut them into small pieces, and place them in a shallow, wide pan with the orange pulp and chopped figs . Cook for 30 minutes, until the fruit is firm, adding the peel halfway through cooking.
Turn off the heat, add the honey , passito wine , spices , all the chopped nuts, rinsed raisins, and crumbled bread until the mixture is dry but still soft. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Mix the flour with the melted but cold butter , oil , sugar , wine , and a pinch of salt. Knead vigorously and thoroughly, adding water or wine if necessary. The dough should be very soft but not sticky. Roll it out into a 30 cm diameter disc and a 34 cm diameter disc.
Place the smaller disc on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the filling over it, leaving the edges free. Place the other disc on top, seal the edges well by pressing them with a fork, and then score the surface with a small knife to create a pattern of concentric circles. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve the cake while still warm, dusted with powdered sugar .
