It will be for its reassuring name, which tastes good and genuine, Torta della Nonna (Italian Grandma’s Cake) is still a must today! A timeless classic, a perfect cake for Sunday lunch that we want you to enjoy at its best, preparing a delicious fragrant pastry and a divine custard.
As with most Italian recipes everyone’s Grandma (Nonna) has their own secret…
PREPARE THE CREAM. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add a little lemon peel and cook over medium-low heat.
Meanwhile, in another pot, break 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk and mix with a whisk, then add the sugar, stir again and add the sifted flour and cornstarch. Keep stirring well to avoid lumps.
When the milk is hot, turn off the heat and remove the lemon peels, slowly add it to the cream and mix again with the whisk. Bring the pot to the heat, continuing to stir for about 5 minutes, turn off when the grandma's cream has thickened.
Pour the cream into a bowl and cover it with cling film, this prevents the crust from forming on the cream. Keep it aside to let it cool.
PREPARE THE PASTRY. In a bowl break 3 eggs, add the sugar and the chopped butter, then the half sachet of vanilla yeast and the grated lemon rind. Start mixing and add the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly.
The dough becomes thicker, when you can no longer mix it, bring it to the work surface and knead it with your hands until it becomes homogeneous and elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers. Do not knead too much, the must remain pretty row but still homogeneus.
Prepare an oiled and floured round baking pan, with these doses you can use one of 28 cm in diameter.
Divide the dough into two, flour a sheet of baking paper and place a part of the dough on top of it, roll it out with a rolling pin to form a disk, place it on the pan and cut off the edges of excess dough with a knife. You have the cake base.
Take back the cream you have set aside, remove the film and stir. Pour it all over the base.
Now take the second part of the pastry and roll it out with a rolling pin to create another disc. Place it on top of the cake.
With a knife, cut off the excess edges and seal the edges all around with a fork, prick the surface with a fork. To garnish put the pine nuts on the cake and you are ready to bake, 170 degrees for 45 minutes (static oven).
At the end of cooking let cool and sprinkle with icing sugar. Grandma's cake is ready!
Keep grandma's cake in the fridge for a couple of days.
If you prefer you can prepare the pastry in advance, freeze it and defrost it as needed.
If you prefer you can try the open version: sprinkle the custard with the pine nuts and bake as indicated; once ready you can sprinkle with icing sugar. In this case you can freeze the pastry that is left over to prepare another grandmother's cake on another occasion!
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Jenny
Thank you for all the wonderfull receipes they all look amazing.
Italian Chef
Thanks! 🙂