Fiore’s Pistachio Cake Outlasts Cornetti

Fiore in Kensington sells between 120 and 180 slices of pistachio cake each week. The dessert has become a steady revenue driver for the cafe, which operates under the management of pastry chef Justine MacNeil and chef Ed Crochet. The torta al pistacchio is not the primary item on the menu, yet it consistently moves inventory.

The cake entered the menu in September 2025. MacNeil found a recipe for the dessert in a 2013 cookbook by Rosetta Constantino. She selected it because the recipe was gluten-free and required only a few ingredients: pistachio flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. At the time, the Dubai chocolate trend had increased customer demand for pistachio products.

MacNeil modified the base recipe after testing it with her staff. She added a layer of apricot or raspberry jam between two halves of the sponge. The kitchen alternates the jam flavor based on ingredient availability. A white chocolate pistachio ganache covers the top, followed by crystallized pistachios arranged around the perimeter. Confectioner’s sugar finishes the presentation.

The preparation process relies on aeration to create a light texture. MacNeil beats egg yolks and sugar until fluffy, then folds in lemon zest. In a separate bowl, she whips egg whites with sugar to form a stiff meringue. The meringue is folded into the yolk mixture, followed by pistachio flour and salt. The batter is baked until golden. MacNeil notes that the limited ingredient list leaves little room for error in the mixing process.

The torta often replaces the pistachio cornetti, which is the cafe’s best-selling item. The cornetti frequently sell out daily. When that happens, staff suggest the torta to customers. MacNeil reports that most diners accept the substitution readily. The cake has remained a mainstay on the menu since its introduction.

Fiore bakes two or three 10-inch cakes daily. Each cake is cut into 10 slices. This production rate matches current demand. The dessert serves as a secondary revenue stream that stabilizes daily sales when the primary pastry is unavailable. The cafe does not currently plan to alter the production volume or the recipe.

The torta remains a consistent seller in the pastry case. It occupies a specific niche for customers seeking a gluten-free option or a pistachio-based dessert. Its sales volume has held steady since last September. The cake continues to serve as a key alternative for diners who miss the cornetti window.