Gluten-Free Citrus Custard Tart

Picture a custard tart, but enclosed, with a golden crust and pine nuts toasted on top. The vanilla is full and mellow, the lemon comes through clean and bright, and the orange follows with a softer note that keeps it from veering into straight-up lemon tart territory. Let it cool, dust it with sugar, and each slice holds beautifully. You’ll find this recipe with my gluten-free entremets.

What is torta della nonna?

Torta della nonna is an Italian custard tart scented with lemon zest and topped with pine nuts. Unlike a classic custard tart, the filling is a vanilla pastry cream infused with lemon, and the tart is enclosed between two layers of pastry. In this version, the dough is gluten-free and the fat is a vegan margarine, but the spirit is the same: a tender shortcrust, silky cream, and citrus in every bite.

The main ingredients

The choice of gluten-free flour matters even more than usual here: the dough is delicate, so you need a blend with enough structure, such as Schär or Caputo gluten-free bread flour, to get a crust that rolls out well and bakes properly.

The vegan margarine stands in for butter: salted Violife is a solid option, but other gluten-free brands work too if you don’t have soy or tree nut restrictions. For the cream, barista-style oat milk gives the best results on the stove.

The zest ties everything together. Rommel Reyes combines lemon and orange in the cream because the two together bring a more nuanced citrus note and pair beautifully with vanilla. He also adds lemon zest to the dough, so the citrus aroma isn’t trapped in the center: you get it from the very first bite, right in the crust. The pine nuts, meanwhile, define the top, both visually and in flavor.

Technical notes and pitfalls to avoid

This recipe is written by weight, in metric, to keep each batch consistent. If you need to convert it, do it carefully before you begin: with gluten-free dough, even a 10 g difference shows up fast.

Pastry: rub in the fat, then stop

Start by mixing the dry ingredients, then make a well; it’s the easiest way to incorporate the rest without overworking the dough. Add the cold margarine, diced, along with the lemon zest and eggs, then rub everything together with your fingertips until you get a coarse, sandy texture. That’s your cue to stop: once it looks like coarse crumbs, don’t try to smooth it out.

Knead only briefly, just enough for the dough to come together. Shape it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour so it firms up before rolling. If you want less mess, you can do the same step in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Cream: gentle heat, constant whisking, then strain

Heat the oat milk in a saucepan. Separately, whisk ⅓ of the hot—but not boiling—milk with the yolks, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch until the starch is fully dissolved; otherwise, you’ll end up fighting lumps. Pour this mixture into the remaining warm milk and cook over low to medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens.

Take it off the heat and pass it through a sieve to remove any bits. Only then add the zests and the cold margarine. Rommel Reyes points out that there are two ways to infuse the zest, during cooking or after: here it’s added after cooking because the cream will go back into the oven inside the tart, and the citrus flavor comes through more vividly. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill before assembling.

Assembly: keep it cold, use parchment, let it rest

The dough needs to be cold when you roll it out. Roll it between two sheets of parchment paper; this reduces sticking and makes the gluten-free dough easier to handle. Aim for an even thickness of 3-4 mm so the baking is uniform, and if you have thickness guides, use them to keep it level all over.

To line the pan, lift the rolled dough with a rolling pin, then press it snugly against the sides of the pan or ring. Prick the bottom with a fork, then trim the edges neatly. Chill the lined dough again for 20 minutes, just long enough for it to relax and firm up.

Seal, top with pine nuts, and bake in two stages

Fill the shell with the cold cream, not lukewarm. Roll out the remaining dough for the lid, lay it on top, then pinch the edges with your fingers to seal. Brush with egg wash, scatter the pine nuts evenly, and prick the top a few times with a fork to let the steam escape.

Bake in two stages: 55 minutes in a preheated 160°C oven, then raise the temperature to 180°C and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more. Let the tart cool completely before dusting with icing sugar, then slice.

For more ideas, browse my gluten-free recipes.

Recipe developed by chef Rommel Reyes. Find his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.