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Ramblings of a retiree in France
The Musette: Torta della Nonna
Torta della Nonna is a classic Italian pastry but this is my much simpler, more rustic version. The base pastry is a light but crispy oil shortbread, while the filling is obviously made of custard with almonds (or pine nuts) on top.
Feel free to customise Torta della Nonna by adding all manner of ingredients from whipped cream to chocolate chips.
You can keep any uneaten torta – as if! – wrapped in foil in the fridge for a few days.
Ingredients (serves 6)
Torta
- 1 large organic egg
- 150g (5 oz) golden caster sugar
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 organic lemon, juice and zest
- 225g (8 oz) plain (all purpose) flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 300g (10 1/2oz) pastry cream
- toasted almond silvers or pine nuts for decoration
Pastry Cream
- 1ltr (4 cups) full-cream milk
- 280g (1 1⁄4 cups) golden caster sugar
- 1 piece organic orange peel
- 6 large organic egg yolks
- 50g (1/3 cup) cornflour (corn starch)
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- seeds from vanilla pod
Method
1.Start by making the pastry cream. Heat the milk, salt, seeds and vanilla pod, and the orange peel in a large saucepan, on a low heat.
2. At the same time in a large bowl, mix the sugar and cornflour and add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring with a wire whisk until well mixed.
3. Increase the heat slightly, pour some of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and then pour it all into the pan with milk. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until it thickens and bubbles for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat, discard orange peels and vanilla pod, mix in the vanilla bean paste and place in a bowl. Cover surface with cling (plastic) film and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or until ready to use.
6. Now make the pastry base. Sift the flour along with the baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl mix the egg with sugar. Now add in the vegetable oil and the lemon juice, mix to combine. Add the flour mix and gently combine until it comes together.
7. Dump pastry mix into 23cm (9″) cake tin and gently press out with fingers and the bottom of a glass tumbler.
8. Fill with chilled pastry cream, level the top and decorate with nuts.
9. Bake at 180C/fan 160C/350F/gas mark 4 for around 40 minutes until top is golden. Leave to cool and enjoy at room temperature.
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Looks and sounds fabulous. Followed by a long bike ride afterwards? 🙂
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Absolutely
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Thank you! Could way to make amends!
Joanna
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Quite possibly Joanna
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My laptop is bad, it should be – good way to make amends!
Joanna
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This looks very tasty.
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It is indeed
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It’s a good thing you are so far away. If you lived closer I would weigh 300 lbs
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😂
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Wow! This looks amazing Sheree! I just might have to make this our next family gathering (with apologies to the nut and dairy challenged folks)!
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Thanks Dorothy
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I’m drooling! Not sure about serving 6. I could probably polish one of those off by myself!
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😎
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Great!!!!!!!!
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Thanks Luisa
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🌹🌹🌹
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Yummy! ✨
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I concur!lol
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That looks and sounds yummy. Have to keep this one and give it a try.
janet
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Let me know how you get on
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It looks yummy!
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It was!
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That looks amazing!
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It’s yummy
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Looks so yummy and filled with the perfect nuts.
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Thanks
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Oh my goodness, that looks delicious!
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It is Andrea
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