Torta della Nonna
Grandmother’s cake
Torta della Nonna literally translates to ‘grandmother’s cake’. It’s a delicate Italian shortcrust pastry which encases silky soft crema pasticcera and topped with pine nuts. 
Traditionally known as a Florentine dessert, but then again, everyone’s nonna claims it as their own, making it slightly different.
This dessert brings me back to my childhood, where Italian torta and the like were served at family gatherings to celebrate birthdays and religious events. This is where my love affair of Italian sweets began. Torta della Nonna is a simple dessert with a refined flavour – synonymous with Italian desserts.
Consequently, its with a heavy heart that I inform you that I hadn’t actually ever eaten my ‘grandmother’s cake’. My nonna lived in Italy and I only met her once when my parents endured the long haul flight back to their home land with three small children – the youngest being me at the age of 3yrs young. I was a teenager when she passed away. I didn’t know her personally, or even whether her Torta della Nonna was any good, but according to the stories of her robust character, I believe it would have been a sensational torta.
You will need to commence this recipe by preparing an elegant shortcrust pastry. I have attached a link to my delicate recipe for Italian Shortcrust pastry – the ‘how to’ video is here http://www.apieceofcake.tv/?p=84. It has a moorish bite and compliments well with the baked custard filling.
The filling, crema pasticcera, is simple to make so don’t be afraid. I encounter so many who fear the process, or more so the outcome, of making this luscious creamy custard. Just follow my recipe and you won’t falter.
It is such a simple dessert with such a sophisticated flavour and the addition of pinenuts is masterful as it adds another dimension to the flavour as well as texture.
[mpprecipe-recipe:5]
