December 10, 2018 — The Frankopan torta is an iconic Croatian dessert, particularly emblematic of the city of Crikvenica where it enjoys a cult status and serves as a reminder of a historical era when the Crikvenica-Vinodol region was ruled by the counts of the Frankopan family.
This lavish dessert originated in the Baroque era, and the first written mention of the Frankopan cake appeared in a 1686 cookbook written by Dutchess Eleonora Maria Rosalia von Eggenberg. The recipe was kept a secret up until 1993 when it was reconstructed at the Institute for Ethnology and Folklore Research in Zagreb.
Here is the recipe variation from Kuharica našeh non, a cookbook published by the Crikvenica Tourist Board.
Ingredients
500g puff pastry, pre-made
400ml whipping cream
6 egg yolks
150g sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
200g roasted almonds, chopped
100g raisins, rum-soaked
3 drops rose water
120g butter, softened
pinch of powdered cinnamon
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 whole lemon zest
For decorating
400ml whipping cream
500g peach compote
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/356F. Roll out the puff pastry dough and cut into 4 equal squares. Bake until golden brown.
2) To make the cream, heat up the whipping cream and then stir in egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Continue mixing over a bain-marie until the mixture thickens. Leave to chill.
3) When the cream is chilled, fold in the butter, almonds, and raisins. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Mix well.
4) To assemble the cake, spread equal parts of cream on top of each puff pastry layer, and gently stack them on top of each other. Put in the fridge and leave to set. Use the remaining whipped cream to cover the entire cake, and decorate it with sliced peaches.
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