According to legend, the citrus trees were brought to Lake Garda in the 13th century by the Franciscan Friars. The first lemon groves were created on the west bank between Gargnano and Limone sul Garda.
Lemons not only taste good as lemonade, but they are also ingredients in many delicious Italian dishes such as the traditional Italian lemon cake “Crostata al Limone del Lago di Garda”. When you visit this region, trying something with lemon is a must, whether it’s fresh squeezed lemonade, a lemon pasta, or this fresh lemon cake.
Prep Time: 45 mins.
Chill Time: 30 to 60 mins
Cook Time: approx. 30 to 40 mins.
Total Time: 1hrs 45mins to 2hrs 25mins
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
For the short crust pastry:
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup of cold butter
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup of sugar
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup butter (room temperature)
- Juice and zest of 3 lemons and 1 orange
Instructions:
- Knead the ingredients into a dough, start with the flour, sugar, and salt, add in the cold butter, using your hands or wooden spoon mix until crumbly, then add the egg and knead quickly until smooth.
- Leave it to rest in the refrigerator before using (about 30 to 60 mins, if it’s hard when you take it out let it sit on the counter for a few mins) and then roll out two-thirds of the dough and place in a greased or parchment-lined 9-inch pan, allowing some of the crust to go up the sides of the pan, then pricking the base with a fork.
- Put the rest of the dough aside for the traditional grid or lattice top of the cake. When ready cut the remaining dough into 6 strips, this will be placed on top in a grid pattern before baking.
- For the filling, beat the sugar and eggs.
- Add the butter and the zest and mix.
- Very gently stir in the lemon and orange juice.
- Pour the filling on the short crust pastry in the cake tin.
- Add the 6 dough strips to the top. Bake the cake at 350 degrees for about 30 -40 minutes, until the pastry is golden, and the filling is set, it will still giggle when you pick it up, it will firm up while cooling.
- Let cool completely, place in fridge for an hour or so, to allow the filling to set firmly.
- Serve with powdered sugar and/or whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Make this delicious lemon delight before you go or be inspired to make it once you’ve returned!
Crostata al Limone del Lago di Garda
Checkout our other posts in our Lake Garda series to help you plan an amazing trip to this incredible and breathtaking region.
“8 Best Towns Around Lake Garda, Italy, you don’t want to Miss”.
“3-Day Itinerary in Lake Garda: The Perfect Itinerary from Bardolino”.
“Travel Guide to Lake Garda: Where to Stay, Eat & Essential Tips.”
For fun activities like food tours or cooking classes, check out Expedia, Get your Guide, or Viator for options all over the world!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a booking or purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend places, experiences, and products that we have personally used or genuinely believe add value to a trip.
Our slow travel, early morning style is something we love, so much so, we wrote a blog and 2 free downloadable travel guides on it, “Your Daily Slow Travel Planner + Bonus Slow Morning Blueprint” request your free copies at the top of the page or through one of our pop ups.
Plan Better. Travel Slower. Capture More.
Thank you,
Beth
Beth de Verteuil
Wild Meadow Studio
Plan. Travel. Capture.