Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pasta Frolla (Pastry)
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 15 ml ice water
Hazelnut Filling
- 100 g hazelnut meal
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 80 g ruby chocolate, callets or roughly chopped
Peach Layer
- 400 g white peaches, pitted and sliced into 1cm wedges
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 10 g cornstarch
Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten
- 10 g turbinado sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 523 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 58 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Sodium
- 140 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 111 mg
- Potassium
- 290 mg
- Calcium
- 45 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 43 mg
- Phosphorus
- 136 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 189 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 1.5 mg
- Folate
- 43 mcg
- Water
- 70 g
- Caffeine
- 2 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt for the pastry. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the egg to the crumbly mixture. Gently knead until the dough just comes together, adding ice water 5ml at a time if the dough feels too dry. Form into a flat disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
While the dough chills, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the egg, then fold in the hazelnut meal until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, toss the sliced white peaches gently with lemon juice, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until the fruit is evenly coated. Do this just before assembling to prevent excess juices from pooling.
Preheat your oven to 190C (375F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle approximately 30cm in diameter and 4mm thick. Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the prepared baking sheet.
Spread the hazelnut filling evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a generous 4cm to 5cm border around the edges. Scatter the ruby chocolate evenly over the hazelnut layer, pressing them in slightly.
Arrange the prepared peach slices over the chocolate and hazelnut layer in an overlapping circular pattern, or a rustic mound. Fold the bare pastry border up and over the outer edges of the fruit, pleating the dough as you go.
Brush the pleated pastry edges lightly with the beaten egg wash, then sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the crust.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190C (375F) for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown and the peach juices are bubbling thick.
Remove the crostata from the oven. Allow it to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring it via the parchment paper to a wire rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving so the filling can set.
Chef's Notes
- White peaches are delicate and oxidize quickly. Do not slice them until the very moment you are ready to assemble the crostata.
- Ruby chocolate contains natural fruitiness that pairs beautifully with stone fruit, but it loses its signature pink color and subtle berry notes if scorched. Burying it between the frangipane and the peaches insulates it from direct oven heat.
- A pinch of salt in the hazelnut frangipane is highly recommended; it cuts the richness of the nut meal and amplifies the sweetness of the peaches.
- If your peaches are exceptionally ripe and juicy, increase the cornstarch to 15g to ensure the juices thicken properly during baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly. Best brought to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap the baked and cooled crostata tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
Reheating: Reheat in a 150C oven for 10-15 minutes to recrisp the pastry.
Troubleshooting
Pastry is tough or hard instead of crisp and tender
Cause: The dough was overworked or the butter became too warm during mixing, leading to gluten development.
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream to mask the texture.
Prevention: Handle the dough as little as possible and ensure the butter is very cold. If the kitchen is warm, chill the flour and bowl beforehand.
Soggy bottom under the fruit
Cause: Peaches released too much juice or the crostata was underbaked.
Fix: Cover the top loosely with foil to prevent burning and bake on the lowest oven rack for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the cornstarch is completely mixed into the fruit and bake on the lower-middle rack of the oven to encourage bottom browning.
Ruby chocolate turned brown and lost its flavor
Cause: Ruby chocolate is highly sensitive to high heat and caramelized when exposed.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked.
Prevention: Ensure the chocolate is safely tucked under the peach layer or pressed firmly into the hazelnut frangipane rather than sitting on top of the fruit.
Cultural Context
The crostata is a quintessential, rustic Italian baked tart traditionally featuring a buttery pasta frolla base filled with homemade preserves or seasonal fresh fruit. This modern interpretation respects the Italian countryside tradition while introducing ruby chocolate, an innovative confection developed in Switzerland, creating an elegant fusion of classic European baking methods and contemporary pastry elements.
