Torta della Nonna cake is a beloved Italian dessert with two layers of sweet pastry crust enveloping a luscious custard filling. The finishing touch? A sprinkling of pine nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s a taste of Italy that brings back warm memories of grandma’s kitchen.
If you’re on a quest for a dessert that embodies both tradition and simplicity, look no further than Torta della Nonna. This classic Tuscan cake, with its crumbly pastry crust and creamy custard filling, is a beloved staple of Italian cuisine. Whether served at the end of a meal or enjoyed as a delightful afternoon treat, Torta della Nonna never fails to impress with its understated elegance and delicious flavor.
Characteristics of the Torta della Nonna (Grandmother’s Cake)
The Torta della Nonna (Grandma’s Cake) is one of the most famous dishes in the Tuscan culinary tradition. It’s more of a homemade recipe than a pastry shop creation, which is why the shortcrust pastry used for this cake is much softer compared to a typical pastry shop dessert. The rustic nature of the recipe is also evident from the fact that this cake is more commonly found in Tuscan bakeries rather than pastry shops.
Another important characteristic is that the cream used to fill the cake is not the classic pastry cream. The cream for the Torta della Nonna is much softer, with a delicate flavor that fills your palate with taste.
Torta della Nonna Cake: Origins and History
The origins of Torta della Nonna are as charming as the cake itself. Pinpointing the exact origin and city where the recipe was born isn’t straightforward, as there’s no definitive record. Both Arezzo and Florence claim to have created it, and like many traditional recipes, several variations exist.
One intriguing tale suggests the cake was invented on a whim by Guido Samorini, a Florentine chef and restaurateur. Faced with diners craving a new dessert, he whipped up this simple yet delicious cake. His creation quickly won over his patrons, earning a special place in Tuscan pastry tradition. The above is one of two versions about where the recipe originated.
The other, likely more credible version attributes the recipe’s birth to the city of Arezzo towards the late 1800s. Attesting to this is Pellegrino Artusi, who mentions it in his work “The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well”, from which we include a brief excerpt: “…I found the pine nut and custard tart a pleasant mess, a poor shortcrust pastry…”
Watch my Torta della Nonna Video Recipe
How to Make Torta della Nonna Cake
Make Torta della Nonna Cake just like grandma used to, the old-fashioned way — by hand! No fancy equipment needed, just a few simple ingredients and lots of love. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this traditional Italian dessert as much as my family has for generations.
Ingredients
To make a traditional Torta della Nonna, you’ll need the following ingredients for a 26 cm or 10-inch diameter baking dish:
Pastry Crust:
- 450 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour (3¾ cups)
- 200 g butter, cold from the fridge (1¾ sticks)
- 160 g Sugar (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp)
- A pinch of salt
- Lemon zest of 1 organic lemon
- 2 Medium eggs
- Butter for greasing
Custard Filling:
- 4 egg yolks
- 100 g Sugar (½ cup)
- 50 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour (⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp)
- 500 g milk (2 cups plus 1 tbsp)
- Lemon zest of 1 organic lemon
Topping:
- Egg whites
- 25 g pine nuts (3 tbsp)
- Powdered sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Torta della Nonna
Prepare the Pastry Dough
Place flour and cold butter cut into pieces in a bowl. Use fingertips to “pinch” the butter, thoroughly mixing it with the flour (1). Add sugar, salt, grated lemon zest and eggs. Knead briefly to mix ingredients without overworking the dough, just enough to compact them and shape the pastry into a loaf. Gently flatten dough slightly and wrap in cling film (2), then refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up.
Make the Custard Filling
Pour egg yolks, sugar (3) and flour into a saucepan and mix with a hand whisk until smooth and dense. Slowly stir in cold milk to avoid lumps forming (4). Add lemon zest and heat on the stove (5). Allow cream to thicken over moderate heat while stirring continuously with the whisk until thick and creamy. When it starts to thicken, remove lemon zest. Transfer cream to a bowl and mix for a few minutes to cool slightly (6), then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.
Assemble the Cake
Once short crust pastry and cream have cooled, assemble the cake. Grease your baking dish with butter. Use three-quarters of pastry dough to create the base. Place in center of the baking dish and spread with fingertips, pressing from center to edges (7). Press center with hands until about 5 mm thick. Use fingertips to ensure dough adheres well to edges, then trim excess with a knife. Prick base with fork tines and fill with now cold custard (8).
Cover the Filling
Knead leftover short crust pastry again and roll out dough to a thickness of 2-3 mm on a sheet of baking paper. Roll pastry disk onto rolling pin and unroll onto mold to cover cream (9). Press edges with fingers to seal and roll over with rolling pin to eliminate excess (10). Brush surface with a little egg white and prick with fork tines, then sprinkle with pine nuts (11).
Bake to Perfection
Bake the cake in a preheated conventional oven at 160 °C (320 °F) for 50 minutes on bottom shelf, then raise temperature to 180 °C (356 °F) and bake for another 10 minutes. If the surface darkens too much during baking, cover with aluminum foil.
Chill and Serve
Once baked, remove from oven and let the cake cool completely before removing it from the baking dish. Transfer the cooled cake to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, dust the top generously with powdered sugar. Serve your delicious custard pie!
Ingredient Variations
While the classic Torta della Nonna is hard to beat, there are some delightful variations you can try. Swap out the lemon zest for orange zest for a citrus twist, or add a dash of almond extract to the custard for a nutty undertone. For a richer flavor, replace some of the milk with cream in the custard filling. You can also experiment with different nuts for the topping—almonds or hazelnuts bring a unique crunch and flavor.
Grandma’s Cake Tips & Tricks
- If you prefer, you can try the open version: sprinkle the custard with pine nuts and bake as indicated; once ready, you can sprinkle with icing sugar.
- If you prefer, you can prepare the shortcrust pastry in advance, freeze it and defrost it when needed.
- The custard can also be prepared in advance: in this case, it should be stored in the fridge covered with cling film until ready to use.
- The cake’s creamy filling and crunchy pine nut topping pair beautifully with a cup of strong espresso or a glass of sweet dessert wine.
- For an elegant presentation, serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
With its rich history, simple preparation, and delightful taste, Torta della Nonna is a testament to the timeless appeal of Italian desserts. Whether you’re honoring tradition or adding your own twist, this cake is sure to become a cherished favorite in your baking repertoire.
Torta della Nonna Storage Instructions
Store Torta della Nonna, covered, in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It will stay delicious for up to 3 days.
Easy TORTA della NONNA Cake — The Best Grandma’s Custard Pie Recipe!
Equipment
- 1 26 cm or 10-inch diameter baking dish
Ingredients
For the Pastry Crust:
- 450 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour
- 200 g butter cold from the fridge
- 160 g Sugar
- A pinch of salt
- Lemon zest of 1 organic lemon
- 2 Medium eggs
- Butter for greasing
For the Custard Filling:
- 4 egg yolks
- 100 g Sugar
- 50 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour
- 500 g milk
- Lemon zest of 1 organic lemon
For the Topping:
- Egg whites
- 25 g pine nuts
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Dough:
- Place flour and cold butter cut into pieces in a bowl. Use fingertips to “pinch” the butter, thoroughly mixing it with the flour.
- Add sugar, salt, grated lemon zest and eggs. Knead briefly to mix ingredients without overworking the dough, just enough to compact them and shape the pastry into a loaf.
- Gently flatten dough slightly and wrap in cling film, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Make the Custard Filling:
- Pour egg yolks, sugar and flour into a saucepan and mix with a hand whisk until smooth and dense.
- Slowly stir in cold milk to avoid lumps forming.
- Add lemon zest and heat on the stove. Allow cream to thicken over moderate heat while stirring continuously with the whisk until thick and creamy. When it starts to thicken, remove lemon zest.
- Transfer cream to a bowl and mix for a few minutes to cool slightly, then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.
Assemble the Cake:
- Once short crust pastry and cream have cooled, assemble the cake.
- Preheat your oven to 160 °C (320 °F) static mode, and grease your baking dish with butter.
- Use three-quarters of pastry dough to create the base. Place in center of cake pan and spread with fingertips, pressing from center to edges. Press center with hands until about 5 mm thick.
- Use fingertips to ensure dough adheres well to edges, then trim excess with a knife. Prick base with fork tines and fill with now cold custard.
- Knead leftover short crust pastry again and roll out dough to a thickness of 2-3 mm on a sheet of baking paper.
- Roll pastry disk onto rolling pin and unroll onto mold to cover cream. Press edges with fingers to seal and roll over with rolling pin to eliminate excess.
- Brush surface with a little egg white and prick with fork tines, then sprinkle with pine nuts.
- Bake the cake in a preheated conventional oven at 160 °C (320 °F) for 50 minutes on the bottom shelf, then raise temperature to 180 °C (356 °F) and bake for another 10 minutes. If the surface darkens too much during baking, cover with aluminum foil.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely before removing it from the baking dish. Transfer the cooled cake to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Just before serving, dust the top generously with powdered sugar. Serve your delicious custard pie!
