A traditional Tuscan dessert made with sweet pastry (pasta frolla), custard cream, pine nuts, and powdered sugar.
🧾 Ingredients
For the pastry (Pasta Frolla)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ½ cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
For the custard filling
- 2 cups (500 ml) milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch or flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Lemon zest
Topping
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- Powdered sugar for dusting
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the pastry
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add butter and rub until crumbly.
- Add egg, yolk, and lemon zest.
- Knead gently until dough forms.
- Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Make the custard
- Heat milk with lemon zest until warm.
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Slowly add warm milk while whisking.
- Cook on medium heat until thick.
- Stir in vanilla and let cool.
3. Assemble
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Roll out ⅔ of dough and line a tart pan.
- Pour custard filling inside.
- Roll remaining dough and cover the top.
- Sprinkle pine nuts.
4. Bake
- Bake 35–40 minutes until golden.
5. Finish
- Let cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
✅ Tip: Authentic versions often taste even better the next day after the custard sets fully.