Sbrisolona al Pistacchio is a rustic Italian pistachio crumb cake made with a buttery, delicate pastry crumb and a rich pistachio cream filling. Inspired by the traditional sbrisolona from Lombardy, this version is simple to prepare, beautifully crumbly, and perfect with morning coffee, an afternoon espresso, or served as an easy Italian dessert.
Sbrisolona is known for its coarse, crumbly texture rather than a smooth cake crumb. The name comes from the idea of breaking or crumbling, and that is exactly what makes this cake so charming. It is rustic, unfussy, and wonderfully satisfying. The classic version is traditionally made with almonds, but pistachios give this recipe a gorgeous nutty flavour and pair beautifully with the creamy filling.
This pistachio sbrisolona is a great recipe when you want something homemade but not complicated. The pastry mixture comes together quickly, and there is no need to roll anything out. Just press part of the crumb mixture into the tin, add the pistachio cream, scatter the remaining crumbs over the top, chill briefly, and bake until lightly golden.
You can use a good-quality store-bought Italian pistachio cream or make your own if you prefer. If your pistachio cream is very thick, warm it gently for a few moments so it spreads easily over the base without pulling up the pastry crumbs.
Ingredients
- Italian 00 flour – this gives the crumb cake a fine, delicate texture. All-purpose flour can also be used.
- Unsalted pistachios – blitzed into fine crumbs, they add flavour and colour to the pastry. If you only have salted pistachios, rinse them under cold water and dry them very well before using.
- Sugar – caster sugar works well because it blends easily into the crumb mixture, but granulated sugar is also suitable.
- Butter – use cold, unsalted butter straight from the fridge. Cold butter helps create the dry, crumbly texture that makes sbrisolona distinctive.
- Egg – lightly binds the pastry mixture while still keeping it rustic and crumbly.
- Baking powder – gives the crumb a little lift as it bakes.
- Pistachio cream – the rich filling in the centre of the cake. Use a smooth pistachio cream that spreads easily.
Flavour variations
- Nuts – replace the pistachios with almonds for a version closer to the traditional sbrisolona. Almonds with or without skins both work.
- Hazelnut chocolate spread – use a good-quality spread that is not overly sweet. A palm oil-free option works especially well if you prefer a cleaner flavour.
- Jam – strawberry, raspberry, cherry, mixed berry, or apricot jam can be used instead of pistachio cream for a fruit-filled crumb cake.
More Italian cakes and tarts to try
Breakfast
Italian Breakfast Bundt Cake – Ciambella Allo Yogurt
Italian Desserts
Crostata di Frutta (Italian Fruit Tart)
Italian Desserts
Apple Crostata with Apricot Jam
Italian Desserts
Torta della Nonna: Italian Custard Tart
If you try this Sbrisolona al Pistacchio recipe, leave a rating and share how it turned out. This Italian pistachio crumb cake is easy to customise, simple to serve, and ideal when you want a homemade dessert with a crisp, buttery crumb and a smooth pistachio centre.
Step By Step Photos Above
Follow the step-by-step photos and tips to make this pistachio crumb cake successfully the first time.
Sbrisolona al Pistacchio (Pistachio Crumb Cake)
By Emily
Equipment
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9 inch springform cake tin
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Food processor
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Baking parchment
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) Italian 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 100 g (3/4 cup) unsalted pistachios
- 1 egg
- 150 g (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
- 100 g (scant 1/2 cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 300 g (1 packed cup) pistachio cream
Instructions
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Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. Do not process them for too long, or they may begin to turn into pistachio butter.
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Tip the ground pistachios into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, then stir until evenly combined.
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Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the texture looks dry and crumbly. Lightly whisk the egg, add it to the bowl, and mix by hand until you have a rough, rustic crumb mixture.
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Press just over half of the crumb mixture into a 9 inch springform cake tin to create an even base. If using a non-stick springform tin, there is no need to grease it because the pastry already contains enough butter.
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Spread the pistachio cream over the base, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the edge. If the cream is too thick to spread easily, warm it gently in a saucepan first.
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Scatter the remaining pastry mixture over the top in large crumbs. Place the cake in the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F fan or 200C/400F static. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is just beginning to turn lightly golden.
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Serve warm or at room temperature. It is especially delicious with a morning cappuccino or a simple espresso.
Notes
- Storage – keep the sbrisolona in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Prep ahead – the pastry crumb can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Use extra virgin olive oil unless a recipe states otherwise.
- Vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested and developed using a fan oven.
- Nutrition values are calculated automatically and should be treated as an approximation.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 27g
| Protein: 4g
| Fat: 15g
| Saturated Fat: 7g
| Sugar: 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.