Torta della Nonna is a classic Italian dessert made with buttery shortcrust pastry, vanilla pastry cream, pine nuts, and powdered sugar. In this recipe, I’ll show you step by step how to prepare the pastry, make a baking-stable pastry cream, and assemble the tart correctly.
servings
Tortiera 30cm round
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 30 cm (12-inch) Round Tart Pan
- Thermomix optional, for the alternative method
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Milano-Style Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 500 g 00 Flour (low-protein)
- 300 g Softened Butter
- 230 g Powdered Sugar
- 80 g Whole Eggs
- 20 g Honey
- 4 g Salt
- 4 g Bourbon Vanilla
For the Baking-Stable Pastry Cream
- 500 ml Whole Milk
- 200 g Granulated Sugar
- 150 g Whole Eggs ((3 eggs))
- 35 g Rice Starch
- 35 g Cornstarch
- 2 g Bourbon Vanilla
- 2 g Salt
For Finishing the Tart
- 50 g Toasted Pine Nuts
- Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Prepare the Milano-Style Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- On a work surface or in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the softened butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla, and honey.
- Beat the eggs separately with the salt, then add them to the butter mixture. Mix for a few seconds at medium speed in a stand mixer, or work the mixture by hand, just until fully incorporated.
- Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add the flour and mix only until a dough forms. Do not overmix the shortcrust pastry: excessive mixing develops gluten and can make the baked pastry tough instead of tender and crumbly.
- Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes. If possible, prepare the dough ahead and let it rest in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours for an even more tender, crumbly texture.
- Once chilled, roll the dough to a thickness of about 5 mm (1/5 inch). Line a buttered 30 cm (12-inch) round tart pan, pressing the pastry carefully into the corners and against the bottom to prevent air pockets from forming during baking.
Prepare the Baking-Stable Pastry Cream
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar, rice starch, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt without whipping air into the mixture.
- Bring the milk to a boil, then gradually pour it over the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream reaches the proper consistency.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean, well-chilled container and stir to help lower its temperature quickly. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Once the pastry cream is cold, you may flavor it with 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of rum, if desired.
Alternative Thermomix Method for the Pastry Cream
- If you have a Thermomix, you can use this alternative method to prepare the baking-stable pastry cream quickly and evenly.
- Pour the milk into the Thermomix bowl, then add all the remaining pastry cream ingredients. Blend for about 15 seconds at speed 8, until completely smooth.
- Cook for 5–7 minutes at 90°C (194°F), speed 3. Start with 5 minutes and extend the cooking time if needed, depending on the consistency of the cream.
- Once cooked, transfer the pastry cream to a well-chilled stainless-steel container sanitized with food-grade alcohol. Stir vigorously to lower the temperature quickly. Lightly sprinkle the surface with granulated sugar to help prevent a skin from forming, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Once the pastry cream is completely cold, you may flavor it with 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of rum, if desired.
Assemble and Bake the Tart
- Spoon the cold pastry cream into the shortcrust pastry shell and level it evenly. Scatter the toasted pine nuts over the surface.
- You can finish the tart in two ways: cover the pastry cream with a thin disk of shortcrust pastry, or decorate the top with classic pastry strips, as shown in the video.
- Bake the Torta della Nonna at 160°C (320°F) for 35 minutes, keeping the oven door slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.
- About three-quarters of the way through baking, lightly dust the tart with powdered sugar and continue baking until the top is evenly golden brown.
- Once baked, let the tart cool completely before removing it from the pan. If needed, chill or briefly freeze it first so it is easier to handle. Finish with a generous dusting of vanilla powdered sugar.
Video
Notes
What Is Torta della Nonna?
Torta della Nonna is an Italian tart made with tender shortcrust pastry and baking-stable pastry cream, finished with pine nuts and powdered sugar. The contrast between the crisp, buttery pastry, the smooth cream, and the toasted flavor of the pine nuts is what defines this classic of Italian pastry.
Open or Covered Torta della Nonna
Torta della Nonna can be finished with a thin disk of shortcrust pastry or with the classic lattice strips used for tarts. In both versions, pine nuts and powdered sugar complete the dessert. In the recipe and video, you can see how to properly handle the pastry and filling during assembly.
Why Use a Baking-Stable Pastry Cream?
In Torta della Nonna, the pastry cream undergoes a second baking together with the shortcrust pastry. For this reason, I use a pastry cream specifically formulated to withstand the additional time in the oven. The combination of rice starch and cornstarch, together with a lower proportion of eggs, helps give the filling structure and keeps it stable during baking. Before assembling the tart, allow the pastry cream to cool completely.
Tips for a Perfect Torta della Nonna
- To promote even baking of the bottom crust, lightly butter the tart pan and place the shortcrust pastry directly into it, without using parchment paper.
- If your oven tends to provide less heat from the bottom, you can briefly blind-bake the pastry shell before adding the pastry cream and completing the tart.
- When using a butter-rich shortcrust pastry, it is best to keep the tart at a height of approximately 1 1/4–2 inches (3–5 cm). For much taller tarts with a generous amount of filling, you may need to use a dough with a lower fat content and adjust both the baking method and baking time.
- After baking, allow the tart to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
Crema Pasticcera Professionale
Variations: Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free, and Chocolate
For a gluten-free version, you can use my Gluten-Free Shortcrust Pastry.To make a lactose-free Torta della Nonna, the simplest option is to replace the whole milk in the pastry cream with the same amount of lactose-free cow’s milk and use lactose-free butter in the shortcrust pastry, keeping the same quantities indicated in the recipe. This will give you a result very close to the original in terms of flavor, texture, and baking performance.
If you prefer to use plant-based ingredients, choose a neutral-flavored plant-based milk for the pastry cream, such as soy or oat milk, avoiding products that are heavily sweetened or flavored. In the shortcrust pastry, the butter can be replaced with a good-quality margarine, preferably with a fat content similar to butter, around 82%. In this case, the final texture, tenderness, and flavor may be slightly different.For a chocolate version, you can enrich the pastry cream with 170 g (6 oz) of 60% dark chocolate.
8 thoughts on “Torta della Nonna – Ricetta Classica con Crema e Pinoli”
Ottima ricetta! Buonissimaaaa
Buon giorno io uso la frolla surgelata. Dopo averla scongelato e tirata con il mattarello a misura la farcisco con la marmellata e la informo a 170 gradi per 40 minuti. La parte inferiore è sempre non cotta bene. Sarebbe bene farla prima cuocere un pochino senza farcia e poi ultimarla con la marmellata? Grazie
Ciao Franca,
usando solo marmellata, il problema credo sia piuttosto il forno. prova a cuocere la frolla a 160°C a forno statico e posiziona la teglia nella parte bassa del forno (non a contatto con il forno, eh).
Usare poi teglie di ferro o alluminio aiutano sicuramente la cottura del fondo.
A presto!