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Grandma’s Custard Tart (Torta della Nonna)

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Torta Della Nonna — Classic & Free Form

Torta della Nonna is a classic Italian dessert featuring a tender, buttery pasta frolla crust filled with a silky, thick pastry cream and finished with toasted pine nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar. Baked until lightly golden, it’s a simple, elegant combination of crisp pastry and a rich, creamy center.

A slice of torta della nonna

What I love about Italian desserts is that their beauty and flavor often come from simplicity. They feel like something your grandmother (nonna) would make without fancy equipment or rigid rules. This recipe fits that spirit: the finished tart looks bakery-fine, yet it can be assembled without a special pan. I share both the tart-pan and free-form methods below so you can choose the approach that suits you.

Key Ingredients

The full recipe follows below. Here’s a concise overview of the most important components and easy substitutions.

  • Pasta Frolla (Italian shortcrust) — a classic short pastry dough. Traditionally made with “00” flour for a slightly different texture; if you don’t have it, use bleached all-purpose flour.
  • Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) — this version uses a generous amount of egg yolks for a very thick, stable cream. Make it a day or two ahead so it chills and sets fully. If used warm it can soften the dough and make assembly messy.
  • Pine Nuts or Sliced Almonds — sprinkled on top before baking to add a crunchy contrast. Almonds are a good, easier-to-find alternative.

Make It

Start by making the pastry cream so it has time to chill—up to three days in advance. The pastry dough can be made the same day but should chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes before rolling.

Process the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Process the dry ingredients together.
Add butter and lemon zest to flour mixture.
Add cold butter and lemon zest, then process until small lumps remain.
Add egg and process until dough forms.
Add the egg and process until the dough comes together.
Smooth dough ready for chilling.
Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill.

Assemble Using a Tart Pan

A 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan works well. An 8-inch pan or a regular pie dish can be used too. Roll and line the pan, chill briefly, fill with chilled pastry cream, then top with the remaining dough and pine nuts. Bake until golden.

Tart pan lined with dough.
Line the tart pan with the rolled dough.
Fill tart shell with pastry cream.
Pour the chilled pastry cream into the prepared shell.
Top the tart with the second layer of dough.
Cover with the top crust and trim the excess dough.
Unbaked tart sprinkled with pine nuts.
Sprinkle with pine nuts or almonds and bake until golden.

Free Form (Galette) Method

The free-form approach is forgiving and beautiful. Roll slightly less than half the dough for the base, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the pastry cream leaving an edge, then top with the remaining dough and seal the edges decoratively. Brush edges with egg wash if you like.

Dough circle on a cookie sheet.
Roll the base dough into a 9-inch circle on parchment.
Pastry cream on base and second layer of dough.
Spread the cream, leaving a 1.5-inch border, then top with the second layer.
Free form tart unbaked with almonds.
Press edges, sprinkle nuts, and bake until set.
Finished free form torta della nonna.

Storing

Store leftover Torta della Nonna covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s best enjoyed fresh but can be gently reheated in a low oven. The pastry dough and pastry cream can be prepared and refrigerated up to two days in advance.

Italian tart topped with pine nuts

Torta Della Nonna | Classic & Free Form

A classic Italian tart with buttery shortcrust (pasta frolla), a silky pastry cream filling, and a crisp nut topping. Prep and assembly instructions are included for both a tart pan and a free-form galette.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes (tart pan) / 35 minutes (free form, middle rack)

Servings: One 8–9 inch tart

Author: Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

For the Short Pastry (Pasta Frolla)

  • 1 3/4 Cup (200 g) ’00’ flour, or bleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 Cup (60 g) powdered sugar
  • Zest from one lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 Cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large egg, cold
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

For the Filling

  • 1 recipe Italian pastry cream, chilled (crema pasticcera)

Topping

  • 1/4 Cup pine nuts or sliced almonds
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Make the Shortcrust Pastry

  1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and baking powder for a few seconds to combine.
  2. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then process until a dough forms. Do not overwork.
  4. Form the dough into a smooth ball or disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes (or up to two days).

Assembling (Tart Pan)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Roll about 3/4 of the chilled dough into a 10-inch circle between parchment sheets and transfer it into an 8–9 inch tart pan, pressing to fit. Refrigerate 15–20 minutes to relax the dough.
  3. Trim the edges, pour the chilled pastry cream into the shell, and spread evenly.
  4. Roll the remaining dough into an 8-inch circle and place it over the cream. Seal the edges, prick lightly if desired, and sprinkle with pine nuts or sliced almonds.
  5. Bake on a cookie sheet in the lower-middle oven rack for about 40 minutes, until golden. Let cool 1–2 hours before unmolding. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.

Free Form Tart

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll just over half the dough into a 9-inch circle and transfer to the sheet.
  2. Spread the pastry cream in the center, leaving a 1.5-inch border all around.
  3. Roll the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and place it over the filling. Press and crimp the edges to seal, or fold decoratively.
  4. Top with pine nuts or almonds. Bake on the middle rack for about 35 minutes. If edges brown too quickly, reduce the oven to 320°F (160°C).

Notes

  • This recipe yields one 8–9 inch double-crust tart or a 9–10 inch single-crust galette.
  • For a larger 10-inch tart with a top crust, increase the dough by about 50% (for example, use one whole egg plus one extra yolk when scaling).
  • To make the pastry cream extra smooth, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve before filling the tart.
  • You can make the pastry and pastry cream up to two days ahead; store both refrigerated. Assemble and bake on the day you plan to serve for best texture.
  • Keep the pastry ingredients cold; the pastry cream ingredients should be at or near room temperature when cooking.
  • Allow the tart to cool fully before flipping out of the pan and slicing to maintain clean slices.