TORTA DELLA NONNA: ITALIAN CUSTARD TART

Print Recipe + Tips - https://www.insidetherustickitchen.co... (All our recipes have step by step photos) Torta della Nonna is the most delicious Italian custard tart made with sweet shortcrust pastry, Italian pastry cream, and topped with pine nuts. An elegant and beautiful dessert for any occasion. Ingredients Shortcrust pastry (Pasta Frolla) 2 cups flour 00 flour or all-purpose (250g) ½ cup caster sugar golden or white (80g) 8.5 tbsp cold butter cubed (120g) 1 large egg Zest of 1 lemon ¼ tsp baking powder 1 pinch of salt Pastry cream (Crema Pasticcera) 5 egg yolks 2.5 cups milk ½ litre ¼ cup cornstarch (30g) ⅓ cup sugar (70g) ½ tsp vanilla paste or 1 vanilla bean *see notes below Topping ¼ cup pine nuts (30g) confectioners sugar for dusting (icing sugar UK) Instructions To make the pastry cream filling Warm the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla then set aside. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar just until combined. Add the cornstarch (cornflour UK) and mix it into the eggs until combined Slowly pour the warm milk into the bowl with the eggs constantly whisking until everything is mixed together (make sure the milk is just warm and not hot so the eggs don’t scramble). Once combined pour the mixture back into the saucepan you warmed the milk in. Heat it on a low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes until very thick. Once thickened pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top of the cream so a skin doesn’t form. Once cooled completely place the bowl in the fridge until ready to use. To make the pastry Sift the flour into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients including the lemon zest, stir to combine. Add the egg and butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a spatula or pastry scraper to form rough crumbs. Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After the dough has chilled remove from the fridge and dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out using a rolling pin until ¼ inch (½ cm) thick. Grease a 7-8 inch tart or pie pan with butter then lay the pastry over the pan tucking in the sides until it fits evenly. Roll the rolling pin over the tart case to cut the edges (you can also trim the edge with a knife). Prick the base with a fork then place back in the fridge for 30 To assemble Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C. Soak the pine nuts in water for 5 mins. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and fill with the cooled pastry cream, spread out evenly. Scatter over the pine nuts then bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until slightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes then remove the tart from the case and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve once cooled or place in the fridge until ready to serve. Follow us on Instagram:   / insidetheru.  . Facebook:   / insidetherus.  . Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/InsideTRK/