Gastro

How to prepare pionono, the sweet recipe that is a classic from Granada

We teach you how to prepare this typical sweet from the town of Santa Fe in Granada.

Click here to read the Spanish version.
Today we bring you a recipe for sweet lovers. Piononos are a typical pastry from Granada, specifically from the town of Santa Fe, which began to be made in the late nineteenth century, in honor of Pope Pius IX (which is said Pio Nono in Italian) and it is a sponge cake that is rolled and soaked with syrup and toasted cream. It is addictive and very easy to prepare. So if you dare to try it at home, here is the recipe for homemade pionono, take note!

Santa Fe Pionono Recipe

Ingredients:

  • For the cake:
    • 3
    • 0 ml whole milk
    • 80 g sugar
    • 50 g wheat pastry flour
    • 50 g cornstarch, starch or fine corn flour
    • 4 eggs
  • For the egg yolk pastry:
    • 6 eggs
    • Sugar (same weight as eggs)
    • 30 g cornstarch
    • 200 ml of water
  • For the syrup:
    • 160 g sugar
    • 150 ml of water
    • Powdered cinnamon

Preparation:

  • The egg yolk pastry
    • First prepare the egg yolk. To do this, weigh the eggs without the shells and add the same amount of sugar. In a bowl, mix the eggs with the water and beat well. In another bowl, mix the sugar with the cornstarch.
    • Pour the two bowls in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until everything is integrated and thickens. It will take about 10 minutes. Then, remove from the heat, but keep stirring until it thickens completely.
    • Transfer the custard yolk to a large bowl and spread well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.
  • Cake:
    • Preheat the oven to 200º C. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and beat the yolks with half the sugar until they whiten.
    • Then, add the milk and beat a little more so that it integrates well.
    • On the other hand, beat the egg whites, adding the rest of the sugar. You should get a meringue with consistency.
    • The next step is to add the flour and cornstarch to the egg yolks, sifting well without getting lumps.
    • Stir and incorporate the meringue with smooth, enveloping movements.
    • In a baking dish previously lined with parchment paper, gradually pour a thin layer of the mixture and bake for 7 minutes, making sure it does not burn quickly. Allow to cool afterwards.
  • Syrup:
    • In a saucepan bring the water and sugar to a boil. Then remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to temper. Set aside.
Assembly for this pionono recipe:
  • Carefully remove the cake from the paper and turn it over. Cut it into a rectangle.
  • Cut it into two pieces and soak it in the syrup, sprinkling the cinnamon powder on top.
  • Next, spread a thin layer of the custard and carefully roll the biscuits.
  • Cut the rolls into small pieces and brush them with more syrup, placing them upright.
  • Put the rest of the yolk in a piping bag and crown each roll with yolk.
  • Finish the pionono recipe by sprinkling it with sugar and burning it with a blowtorch to get the crunchy caramel.

You can also try the piononos in typical pastry shops such as Casa Ysla, in Santa Fe, which have been making them since 1897.