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Pine Nut Cake Recipe
Buttery crostata crust with a soft semolina centre and pine nuts baked on top gives this Pine Nut Cake a rich, nutty finish with a gentle hint of lemon.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 1 x 20 cm – 8 inch round cake
Ingredients
Crostata Crust
- 250 g – 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 125 g – 1 cup granulated sugar
- 125 g – ½ cup unsalted butter – softened
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
Filling
- 250 ml – 1 cup milk
- 50 g – ⅓ cup semolina
- 35 g – 2¾ tbsp granulated sugar
- 5 g – 1 tsp butter
- 1 egg – lightly beaten
- 30 g – ¼ cup pine nuts
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
Crostata Crust
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Put the flour, sugar, butter, egg, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until crumbly, then quickly knead by hand until a smooth dough forms.
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Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Filling
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Put the milk, salt, butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a pot. Mix well and place over medium heat.
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After about 1 minute, add the semolina and whisk well to prevent lumps.
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Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens to a crème pâtissière consistency.
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Add the beaten egg and pine nuts, then stir until fully combined.
Assembling
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Take the dough out of the fridge, place it on baking paper, and roll it into a sheet about 1 cm – 0.4 inch thick.
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Transfer the dough to a greased 20 cm – 8 inch springform pan. Press it down evenly and ensure the sides are fully covered.
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Pour the semolina and pine nut mixture over the base.
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Roll out the remaining dough, cut strips 1.5 cm – ½ inch wide, and arrange them on top to form a diamond pattern.
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Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 25–30 minutes, or until cooked through.
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Let the cake cool completely, then unmould, dust with icing sugar, and serve.