Certosino is a traditional fruitcake from Bologna that I made around Christmas time. It is not hard to make and has a very nice flavor. It tasted great but I wasn’t completely happy with how it looked:
I used a rectangular pan because I didn’t have a round pan of the proper size, and I wasn’t sure that the baking soda had done its job properly.
I decided to make it again, using baking powder rather than baking soda (even though Italian recipes all call for bicarbonato, which is baking soda) and using a newly bought 20 cm (8″) round springform pan. The certosino came out much better. The taste was the same, but the appearance is also important. I will correct the old post accordingly so if people google this recipe they will get the right instructions.
Stefan's Gourmet Blog 
It at first you don’t succeed …
Good for you, Stefan. Looks like you successfully corrected those elements of the last cake with which you weren’t pleased. Your new-and-improved cake loods fantastic. Congratulations!
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Thanks John 🙂
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I am so excited to see this recipe! I really am. I’ve written before about my love of fruitcake and how much work there is to make it when no one in my life enjoys it! But you know, I think somehow this recipe is just different enough from what some think of as traditional, it might be well worth it. And if not, maybe I’m just worth it! 🙂 Your second effort is beautiful. I”m not waiting for the holidays…I didn’t get even one slice this past Christmas! 🙂
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Thanks for the nice comment. This recipe is quite easy actually. If you do get around to trying it, I would love to hear how it turned out for you.
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I should have tried this more straightforward recipe. I made the certosino from The Splendid Table. It was both expensive and awful. Then I made the “official” recipe from the Bologna authorities who make such (very Italian ) pronouncements. It was so overwhelmingly chocolate (500 grams chocolate plus 6 tablespoons cocoa) that there was no real point in not just making a chocolate torte. If I ever have the heart to try again maybe this will be successful.
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You should try it again once you get over the disappointment. Made this way it is delicious.
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P.S. I’ve checked and the official recipe specifies only 50 grams of chocolate. You can find it here: http://www.accademiaitalianacucina.it/it/content/pan-speziale-certosino
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