Milk Pan di Campobasso
Milk Pan di Campobasso is a domed sponge cake soaked with herbal milk liqueur and coated in a hazelnut white chocolate glaze, created in Molise pastry shops.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •electric hand mixer
- •20 cm zuccotto mould or dome cake tin
- •mixing bowls
- •silicone spatula
- •wire cooling rack
- •heatproof bowl for bain-marie
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Butter and flour a 20 cm dome mould thoroughly, then preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.
- 2
Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large, spotless bowls.
- 3
Whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until pale, thick, and ribbon-like.
- 4
Pour in the melted butter and 40 ml of Liquore Milk, whisking gently to combine.
- 5
Sift the flour, potato starch, and baking powder together over the yolk mixture.
- 6
Fold the dry ingredients into the batter with a spatula until just smooth.
- 7
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
- 8
Fold one-third of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remainder.
- 9
Pour the batter into the prepared dome mould and smooth the top evenly.
- 10
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out dry.
- 11
Cool for 15 minutes, invert onto a wire rack, and brush the warm sponge with remaining liqueur.
- 12
Melt the white chocolate over a water bath, stir in hazelnut paste until smooth, then glaze the cold cake.
Chef's tips
Use potato starch alongside wheat flour to achieve the signature fine, delicate crumb typical of Campobasso bakeries. If hazelnut paste is unavailable, smooth roasted hazelnut butter provides the traditional beige colour and nutty depth. Ensure the cake is completely cool before applying the chocolate glaze so the coating sets cleanly.
Ingredient substitutions
- Liquore Milk → Strega liqueur mixed in equal parts with whole milk or cream
- potato starch → cornstarch, maintaining the exact same weight
- hazelnut paste → smooth 100% hazelnut butter without added sugar
Storage
Store the glazed cake under a glass cake dome at cool room temperature for up to four days.
Reheating
Do not reheat; allow slices to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving if chilled.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Deflating the whipped egg whites by stirring vigorously rather than folding gently.
- •Pouring warm glaze over a hot cake, which causes the chocolate coating to slide off.
- •Overbaking the sponge, resulting in a dry rather than moist, tender crumb.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Milk Pan di Campobasso?
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