Italian Grandma’s Cake (Torta della Nonna)

Italian Grandma’s Cake (Torta della Nonna) 🇮🇹🍰

A classic Italian dessert with a tender pastry crust, creamy custard filling, and pine nuts on top—simple, comforting, and timeless.

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Ingredients

Pastry

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup butter, cold and cubed
• 2 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon

Custard Filling

• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Lemon zest (optional)

Topping

• Pine nuts
• Powdered sugar

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Instructions

1. Prepare Custard
   Heat milk with vanilla and lemon zest.
   Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
   Slowly add hot milk, then return to heat and cook until thick. Cool.
2. Make Pastry
   Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
   Cut in butter, add eggs and lemon zest, and form dough.
   Chill 30 minutes.
3. Assemble
   Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
   Press ⅔ of dough into a greased pan.
   Spread custard evenly.
   Crumble remaining dough on top and sprinkle with pine nuts.
4. Bake
   Bake 40–45 minutes until golden.
5. Serve
   Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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💡 Tip: This cake tastes even better the next day once the custard sets fully.