San Marino sits on Monte Titano, and along the ridge of the mountain stand three towers, the Tre Monti that appear on the national flag and coat of arms. The republic's best known cake is named for them: thin, round, crisp wafers stacked in layers with a cream of cocoa and hazelnuts, the whole thing sealed in dark chocolate. A San Marino bakery has been making it since 1942, it goes home in the luggage of a great many visitors, and it is about the only national symbol that can be eaten with coffee.

Making it at home is more assembly than baking, which is the charm. You toast hazelnuts, grind them into a soft chocolate cream, spread it between wafer sheets and coat the cake in melted chocolate. The cake then rests overnight so the wafers soften just enough to slice, while keeping their crunch. The bakery keeps its own cream a secret, so every home version is free to argue for its own.

The San Marino Grand Prix ran at Imola, across the border in Romagna, from 1981 to 2006, and a slice of Tre Monti with an espresso is the most San Marino way to toast that history on any race weekend.

The hazelnut cocoa cream

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (170 g) whole blanched hazelnuts
• 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons (18 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 1/2 oz (100 g) milk chocolate
• 1 3/4 oz (50 g) dark chocolate, about 60 percent cocoa
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower
• 1 pinch fine salt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the hazelnuts on the baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan halfway. If any skins remain, rub the warm nuts in the kitchen towel to remove them.
2. While the nuts are still warm, put them in the food processor and run it for 4 to 6 minutes, stopping every minute to scrape down the sides with the spatula. It will go from crumbs to a thick clump and then loosen.
3. Put the milk and dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until just melted, then take it off the heat.
4. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, oil and melted chocolate to the hazelnut paste in the processor and blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and leave at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Building the layers

Ingredients

• 5 round wafer sheets, about 8 inches (20 cm) across

Method

1. Put a small dab of cream in the center of the cake plate or cardboard round and press the first wafer onto it, patterned side up, so it cannot slide.
2. Spoon about a quarter of the cream onto the wafer and spread it evenly to the very edge with the offset spatula, using light strokes and supporting the edge with your other hand. Lay the next wafer on top and press down gently and evenly with your flat palm. Repeat until you have five wafers and four layers of cream, finishing with a plain wafer on top.
3. Put the stack in the fridge for 20 minutes so the cream firms before coating. Meanwhile prepare the chocolate shell.

The dark chocolate shell

Ingredients

• 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate, 60 to 70 percent cocoa
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) neutral oil or melted cocoa butter

Method

1. Put two thirds of the chopped chocolate in the clean heatproof bowl over barely simmering water and stir until melted. Take the bowl off the pan, add the remaining chocolate and the oil, and stir until everything is smooth. This gentle method keeps the shell glossy.
2. Move the chilled cake onto the wire rack over the tray. Pour the chocolate over the center of the top and spread it quickly toward the edges with the offset spatula, letting it run down the sides. Use the spatula to smooth the chocolate around the sides, scooping up drips from the tray to fill any gaps.
3. Leave the cake to set at cool room temperature for 1 hour, then cover loosely and keep it in a cool place, or the fridge in hot weather, for at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Dip the large knife in hot water and wipe it dry. Score the chocolate top lightly first, then press down firmly through the layers. Warm and wipe the knife between every slice.

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