National Dish San Marino: Torta Tre Monti (Recipe)
In this article
Torta Tre Monti is layered wafer and chocolate, named after the three peaks of Monte Titano that appear on San Marino’s flag. It is sold in every shop in the republic and is essentially the country’s edible souvenir.
About Torta Tre Monti
The cake is thin wafer sheets stacked with chocolate and hazelnut cream between them, then coated in chocolate. It is not baked. It sets in the fridge, and it is closer to a confection than a cake.
San Marino is 61 square kilometres and the oldest surviving republic in the world, and this is what it puts in the gift shops.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 100 g wafer sheets
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 100 ml whipping cream
- 50 g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g chopped hazelnuts (optional)
Shopping for the ingredients
Thin round wafer sheets, sold for making torrone or Italian wafer cakes, are the correct base; communion-style wafers or ostie work. Use a dark chocolate at around 60%, since higher cocoa content sets too hard to cut.
Preparing the dish
Melt the chocolate gently over simmering water, never directly on the heat. Let the ganache cool slightly before spreading, or it soaks into the wafers instead of sitting on them. Work quickly, since it sets as it cools.
Step-by-step instructions
- Melt the dark chocolate together with the whipping cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
- Add the sugar and the vanilla extract, then stir until you have a smooth, glossy cream.
- Let the ganache cool slightly until it is spreadable rather than runny.
- Spread each wafer sheet with the chocolate cream and stack the sheets one on top of another.
- Coat the top and sides with the remaining chocolate.
- Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours so the cream sets firm.
- Just before serving, scatter over the chopped hazelnuts to taste.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Wafer sheets are wheat, so the cake is not gluten-free; gluten-free wafers exist and work. For lactose-free, use a coconut cream and dark chocolate with no milk solids.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
The cake is vegetarian. A vegan version with coconut cream and dairy-free dark chocolate works well, since the ganache is only two ingredients and both have good substitutes.
More tips and tricks
Let the ganache cool before spreading. Press the layers down gently as you stack so there are no air gaps. And chill it properly, at least two hours and preferably overnight, or it will not cut cleanly.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Hazelnut paste in the ganache moves it towards gianduja, which is what commercial versions use. A layer of chopped nuts between the wafers adds texture. Coffee in the ganache is a good addition.
Ingredient substitutions
Milk chocolate makes it sweeter and softer. Nutella replaces the ganache entirely as a shortcut. Almonds for hazelnuts.
Drink pairing ideas
Espresso, which cuts the sweetness. A Sangiovese-based passito or Vin Santo. San Marino makes its own wine, and the Moscato is worth trying.
Serving and presentation ideas
Cut it into thin wedges with a hot knife, wiped between cuts. It is very rich and small portions are correct. Serve it chilled rather than at room temperature, since it softens.
A bit of history
San Marino claims foundation in 301 AD and has been continuously independent since, which makes it the oldest republic in existence. The cake is twentieth-century and unashamedly a tourist product, which does not stop it being good. It anchors Sammarinese cuisine alongside bustrengo, the older cornmeal cake.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Torta Tre Monti
Torta Tre Monti is wafer sheets layered with chocolate ganache and chilled until firm. Cool the ganache before spreading, press the layers together, and chill it overnight.
