Home - World Recipes - Torta Della Nonna – A Delicious Classic Italian Dessert Recipe
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Home - World Recipes - Torta Della Nonna – A Delicious Classic Italian Dessert Recipe
If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Torta della Nonna is one of those classic Italian desserts that feels like a warm hug. The name literally means “Grandmother’s cake”, and that’s exactly the vibe: homey, comforting, and proudly simple.
It’s a shortcrust pastry tart (pasta frolla) filled with rich, silky custard—usually with a subtle lemon or vanilla flavour—and topped with pine nuts and a dusting of icing sugar. The pine nuts toast in the oven, giving a wonderful nutty crunch to each bite.
Torta della Nonna comes from Tuscany, though it’s now found across Italy in bakeries and trattorias. Some regions have their own twist: for example, in Liguria you might find it with a chocolate custard or even ricotta instead of the traditional lemon cream. We first had this dessert in Salò, Italy on a fabulous sunny day…and what a treat. We really loved it, so we decided: we need to make this at home. So here goes. This is our version of Torta della Nonna.
We enjoyed this lovely dessert on a sunny spring day in Salò — it was so good we had to recreate it at home.
Here’s our take on Torta della Nonna.
For the pastry (pasta frolla):
300g all-purpose flour (about 2 ½ cups)
130g cold butter, cut into cubes (about 9 tbsp)
120g sugar (½ cup + 1 tbsp)
1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
For the custard filling:
500ml whole milk (2 cups)
4 egg yolks
100g sugar (½ cup)
40g cornstarch (⅓ cup)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract (or seeds from ½ pod)
For the top:
2–3 tbsp pine nuts
Icing sugar for dusting
1. Make the pastry:
In a bowl or food processor, mix the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt.
Add cold butter and rub it into the flour until you get a sandy texture.
Add the egg and yolk and knead quickly into a dough. Don’t overwork it.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the custard:
Heat milk with lemon zest and vanilla in a saucepan until just below boiling. Turn off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to infuse.
In a bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until pale, then add cornstarch and whisk smooth.
Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mix while whisking.
Return everything to the pan and cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
Pour into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and let it cool completely.
3. Assemble:
Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
Roll out ⅔ of the dough and line a greased tart tin. Trim edges neatly.
Fill with custard (cooled!).
Roll out remaining dough into a circle and gently place on top. Seal edges.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and gently press them in.
4. Bake:
Bake for about 40–45 minutes or until golden on top.
Let cool fully, then dust with icing sugar before serving.
Let the custard fully cool before assembling, or it might make the base soggy.
You can use foil and baking weights for the first 10 min if your crust tends to puff.
Keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days.
It’s not overly sweet. It’s perfect after a big meal.
The textures are beautiful: crumbly crust, creamy filling, crunchy top.
It tastes like something a grandmother really would make—with care and no fuss.
Order it with an espresso or a small glass of sweet dessert wine like Vin Santo. It’s often served cold or at room temperature, which makes it ideal even in warmer weather.
Our visit to Salo in Italy was fantastic. It is the perfect little town on the beautiful Lake Garda. Check out this short video – maybe it’s your next travel destination…