This is the simplest cake in the world to make, and one of the oldest, dating back in Tuscany to the 1500s. When I was a little girl my mother used to make it during the first days of autumn. At the time I didn’t appreciate the simplicity of the cake, a child’s tastebuds being more attuned to fruity and chocolatey things, but growing up I have learned to love castagnaccio. With its nutty, earthy flavours, I would call it a “cake for grown-ups”. It is perfect served with some whipped ricotta and honey, or paired with a glass of Vin Santo