The Italian dish known as "grandmother's cake," or torta della nonna, literally means "grandmother's cake." Imagine a sweet nonna creating this unique treat in her Tuscan kitchen for all of her grandchildren.
Italy bakes and eats this easy, homey dish for torta della nonna. I can see why this torta is so well-liked; it has a delicate shortbread dough with a lemony flavor and a rich Italian pastry cream. For this recipe, you'll need a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Why not give one to your family as a surprise?
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour to chill
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Custard
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cups superfine sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Pastry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt (leave it out if you happen to use salted butter)
- 5 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/8 - 1/4 cup pine nuts
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Here’s how to make it:
1. Pine nuts should be soaked in a small dish of water.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla extract until they barely begin to boil. Place aside to gently cool.
3. To make the egg yolks and sugar in a medium basin fluffy and light, use a wire whisk. Add flour and mix. Add the heated milk gradually while whisking. So that no lumps form, whisk thoroughly.
5. To prepare the pastry, combine the flour, lemon zest, baking soda, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and sugar. Process until the mixture barely begins to bind to the bowl's sides. Take out, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.
6. Separate the dough into two equal portions, one being a little larger than the other. Take the larger piece, flatten it down, and roughly form a circle. Flour the pastry just a little bit. To make the larger piece large enough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, roll it out between two sheets of nonstick baking paper. Dust the pastry lightly with additional flour if it starts to stick.
7. Gently rotate the rolling pin while rolling the pastry. Roll the pastry out and place it in a buttered 9-inch tart pan. Allow it to fall into the corners as you pull it up around the edges. Extra pastry can be used to patch any tears. Cut the edges clean.
8. Fill the base with the chilled pastry cream. The filler should be spread and leveled. In the same manner, roll out the second piece of crust, fit it over the pastry cream, and seal the edges with your fingers. Afterward, cut any extra. Apply some water to the top.
9. Drain the pine nuts, then scatter them on top of the torta.
10.
Bake for 40 minutes in a 350°F oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool. Place the torta on a serving plate after carefully removing it from the pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Either cold or warm dishes are acceptable. It can be kept covered in the refrigerator for four to five days.
Bake for 40 minutes in a 350°F oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool. Place the torta on a serving plate after carefully removing it from the pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Either cold or warm dishes are acceptable. It can be kept covered in the refrigerator for four to five days.