Sbrisolona (Italian Almond Tart) with Roasted Red Grapes and Champagne Sabayon

Food & Wine first published Suzanne Goin’s sbrisolona recipe in 2005, paired with roasted red grapes and a luscious sauce, Champagne sabayon, that held it all together. Former F&W food editor Kate Heddings shared what made the dish so special back then — and why it continues to delight and satisfy:

Back in December 2005, Food & Wine asked 1999 F&W Best New Chef Suzanne Goin to create a foolproof dinner party for the holidays. To test-drive the menu, we turned to Julie Powell, who had just published her book, Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. Powell (who died in 2022) tackled Goin’s menu — all 10 recipes — and encountered only a few minor hitches. One snag was in the recipe for dessert: an almond tart with Champagne sabayon and roasted grapes. The sabayon, she said, took her an hour instead of the predicted 10 minutes.

Looking back on it now, Goin finds it funny that she chose sabayon as a component of a “foolproof” dinner party because it can be intimidating to make. Sabayon is a light custard made by whisking egg yolks with sugar and wine. There is always a chance of scrambling the eggs, which is what Powell feared — and why she cooked the sabayon over low heat for an hour instead of 10 minutes over high heat. That said, sabayon isn’t actually that tricky to make if you’re not afraid of breaking the emulsion. “When I worked with Russell Moore at Chez Panisse, he used to say, ‘If you never break an aioli, you’re making it too slowly!’” says Goin. “Now I tell people, ‘Do it like you mean it.’ Being too timid can screw it up.” Powell agreed, noting in her piece that the next time she made the sabayon, she would increase the heat. “Those egg yolks can be pretty sturdy,” she said. 

Goin’s cooking leans more Italian, but for the sabayon, she keeled toward France, using the custard’s French name (in Italian, it’s zabaglione) and including Champagne in honor of Julia Child, the Francophile subject of Powell’s book.

For the other half of the dessert, she leaned Italian. Sbrisolona, which hails from Lombardy, is an almond tart that resembles a giant cookie. It’s one of Goin’s favorite desserts — she craves crispy textures. (“I am more of a cookie person than a cake person,” she says.)

Goin recognizes now that although her sbrisolona is simple, it’s not entirely foolproof, either. To this day, Goin tasks prospective pastry chefs at her Los Angeles–based restaurants with making the tart as a measure of ability: “The secret is not overworking the dough and pressing it into the pan with your hands; to get that crumbly texture, it needs to be dry, rough, and loose,” she explains.

“Even pastry chefs overthink it.” Sbrisolona first appeared on the menu at Goin’s restaurant Lucques in 2003. It was presented broken into rustic pieces, much in keeping with the Italian style of serving it whole at the table for people to break apart on their own. In a later variation at her restaurant A.O.C., Goin broke the cookie (made with pistachios in place of almonds) into smaller pieces and served it in a coupe with labneh ice cream, pomegranate granita, and mint.

The final part of the three-part dessert is the roasted grapes; like the versatile almond tart, they are a staple of Goin’s repertoire to this day. She tosses the grapes with a bit of salt before roasting: “[The salt] makes the texture and flavor pop, the skin intensifies, and the warm fruit is lovely and elegant.” The grapes are a cinch to prepare and bring the whole dessert together. She also loves their look, served whole on the stems.

This dessert’s versatility makes it a great fit for a dinner party. In lieu of almonds, the sbrisolona can be made with walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios. You can vary the citrus zest. The tart can be served with scoops of ice cream or macerated peak-season fruit. Sbrisolona tastes wonderful with Champagne, and — much like biscotti — it can be dipped into coffee. But however you make it, just beware: If there are bits left out for the taking, they will soon be gobbled up. — Kate Heddings

Frequently asked questions

What is sbrisolona?

Historically a peasant dessert, sbrisolona is a rustic almond tart from Mantua, Italy. The name  loosely translates as “crumble cake.” It is traditional to eat sbrisolona with your hands, so breaking the whole tart into large pieces makes it easy to enjoy.

Can I make the sbrisolona or the roasted grapes ahead of time?

Leftover tart pieces may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Let grapes cool completely, about 40 minutes, before storing in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 6 days. Bring grapes up to room temperature before serving. 

What wine should I pair with sbrisolona? 

Our wine editor recommends a vibrant, lightly sweet sparkling wine, such as NV Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Packing the tart dough loosely in the pan helps ensure a more tender texture.

Red grapes have a sweeter, richer taste than more acidic green grapes. As the grapes roast, the skins blister and caramelize, giving the interior a deeply sweet flavor and slightly jammy texture. The result is an almost wine-flavored bite that is equally at home with Goin’s Sbrisolona as it is on a charcuterie board.