Dessert Italian

Torta della nonna with lemon custard

Name: Torta della nonna with lemon custard recipe
Yield: 10
Cuisine: /italian
Ingredients: 110g lemon curd; 1 egg, lightly beaten, for eggwash; 50g pine nut; Pure icing sugar, to dust; 400g plain flour; 40.00 ml caster sugar; 1 tsp baking powder; 180g cold unsalted butter, chopped; 1 egg; 5 egg yolks; 110g caster sugar; 35g cornflour; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 500ml milk; 30.00 ml lemon juice

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P104 Torta della nonna with lemon custard

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

May 02, 2023

Lucy Nunes shares her tart take on this homey Italian classic.

1/3 cup (110g) lemon curd
1 egg, lightly beaten, for eggwash
1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts, soaked in water for 5 minutes (this stops them burning while baking), patted dry
Pure icing sugar, to dust

Pastry

2 2/3 cups (400g) plain flour, plus extra to dust
2 tbs caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
180g cold unsalted butter, chopped
1 egg

Lemon custard

5 egg yolks
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (35g) cornflour
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cups (500ml) hot milk
1 1/2 tbs lemon juice

Method

1.

For the pastry, whiz flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt flakes in a food processor until combined. Add butter and whiz until a crumb texture forms. Add egg and 2-3 tbs cold water and process until dough forms a ball. Divide pastry into two-third and one-third portions. Enclose each in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2.

For the lemon custard, whisk yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale, creamy and doubled in volume. Whisk in cornflour and lemon zest until combined. Slowly whisk in hot milk until combined. Pour into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture starts to bubble and becomes a thick custard. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap is touching the surface. Poke a few holes in wrap with a skewer.
3.

Chill for 40 minutes or until cool. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger pastry portion to a 28cm round. Use pastry to line a 24cm, 3cm deep loose-based tart tin. Trim excess pastry. Chill for 30 minutes.
4.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Roll out remaining pastry to a 24cm round. Spoon custard into tart shell. Swirl through lemon curd. Top with pastry round. Press edges to seal and trim any excess. Brush with eggwash. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
5.

Once completely cooled, remove from pan and dust with icing sugar. We served ours with limoncello (see note).