Faldacchea: More Than Just a Dessert

The Faldacchèa of Turi is a dessert whose origins lie in the etymology of the word faldaccherìa, a term of Spanish origin used as early as the 17th century in convents to refer to sweets made with eggs and sugar.
The Turi dessert as we know it today is the result of a refinement that took place in the early 20th century, based on an older recipe passed down by a young woman from Turi who spent part of her youth with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Cassano.

The perfected recipe makes skilful use of almonds, egg yolks, and sugar to create an almond paste (pasta reale), gently cooked to achieve an exceptional level of creaminess. Inside, it encloses a heart of Pan di Spagna sponge cake soaked in homemade Alchermes liqueur and filled with sour cherries (amarene).
Traditionally, the outer coating was made with giulebbe, also known as naspro sugar icing, while in more recent times it has sometimes been replaced with white chocolate, which is more delicate and less sweet. The decoration with coloured sugar threads, known as scherzètte, has remained unchanged.

Unique in its kind, the Faldacchèa delights the palate of its many admirers. Over time, it has come to be known as the “bride’s cake”, as tradition holds that it is given as a wedding favour—a sweet gift with which newlyweds honour their guests on their wedding day.