Pasticceria Castelnuovo
Espresso with Fresh Cream and an Almond Cookie
Rum and Rice Tartlet, Pistachio Marzipan Tartlet, Apricot Jam Cookie, Coconut Chocolate Cookies, Ricotta Cake
Cream Croissant, Jam Croissant
Torta Enrico – Chocolate Pear Cake
Mascarpone Cherry Tartlet, Chocolate Ganache, Almond Marzipan Tartlet, Cinnamon Cream Tartlet
Located in Southwest Milan and thus afforded the ability to curtail prices while offering plenty of space to sit, Pasticceria Castelnuovo was perhaps the perfect way to start off a day following dinner and the drive from Dal Pescatore, the staff far more friendly than other Italian Bakeries as they tried their best to make do with limited English before also offering up fresh Cream for the Coffee plus a plate of complimentary tastes.
Founded in 1945 and having maintained a homey interior where the full pastry kitchen can be seen through glass behind the counter-top, Pasticceria Castelnuovo opens every day except Monday at 08h00 with a focus on Italian classics given a Milanese focus, several items not previously seen in Venice or Parma soon to become regular findings including a Brownie-dense cake entitled Torta Enrico that marries Pears to Chocolate with almost no additional sugar making for a bold, bittersweet taste.
Offering several styles of Petit Fours, Tartlets and Cookies, those with Marzipan and Nuts a beautiful balance of textures that saw sweetness tempered by natural savory notes, both the Cream and Jam Croissants were still toasty warm with well-separated layers of lamination beneath their golden exterior, a tiny Layer Cake of Rice infused with Rum also quite pleasant.