Gina DePalma’s Honey and Pine Nut Tart Becomes Spring’s Most Coveted Dessert

When Gina DePalma first published her 'Dolce Italiano: Sweet Dreams of an Italian Life' in 2009, few could have predicted that one tart would outlive its pages — and become a seasonal ritual. Now, nearly 15 years later, her Honey and Pine Nut Tart is making a quiet but powerful comeback across American kitchens and bakeries, celebrated not just for its elegance, but for how perfectly it captures the fleeting sweetness of spring. The recipe, detailed in March 2017 on pancakesandbiscotti.com and further refined in a January 2018 piece on chewingthefat.us.com, has become the unofficial anthem of the season — a dessert that tastes like sunlight on a still morning.

A Tart That Tastes Like April

It’s not just the ingredients. It’s the timing. The honey? Best harvested in early spring when clover, orange blossom, and wildflowers bloom in abundance. The pine nuts? Toasted to a nutty crunch that mirrors the first crisp leaves after winter’s gray. And the citrus zest — lemon or orange — pulls from the last of the winter citrus crops, just as the trees begin to bud. The tart’s magic lies in its contradictions: a buttery, salty caramel base gives way to a silky custard, all crowned with a constellation of toasted pine nuts that crackle under the fork. As pancakesandbiscotti.com noted, the contrast is “beautiful” — not just in texture, but in mood. It’s a dessert that feels both nostalgic and fresh, like remembering your grandmother’s kitchen while standing in a new spring garden.

The Recipe, Unpacked

DePalma’s original formula is precise — almost surgical. The dough calls for 2⅓ cups of flour, ⅓ cup of sugar, a pinch of salt, baking powder, and the zest of one citrus fruit, all bound with ¾ cup of cold butter, one egg, an egg yolk, vanilla, and a splash of heavy cream. The filling? Even more deliberate: ⅔ cup (206 grams) of honey, ½ cup of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of butter, ½ cup of cream, another egg and yolk, and precisely 1¼ cups (about 150 grams) of pine nuts. The method is methodical: roll the dough into an 11-inch circle, press it into a 10-inch fluted tart pan, chill it, then prepare the honey caramel by boiling honey, sugar, and salt with butter until it thickens. After cooling 20 minutes, the cream and eggs are whisked in gently, then poured over the pine nuts already scattered in the crust. Bake at 325°F for 30 to 55 minutes — until the crust is golden and the center still jiggles slightly. Let it cool completely. Then, slice. Serve at room temperature. No garnish needed.

Modern Twists and Regional Variations

But this isn’t a recipe stuck in amber. In March 2023, savorthebest.com introduced a rosemary-infused version, adding two teaspoons of fresh chopped rosemary to the filling alongside 2 cups of pine nuts and a touch of molasses. “The earthy rosemary,” the site declared, “really brings the flavors together.” The pairing isn’t random. Food historians trace pine nut tarts to Renaissance Sicily, where pine forests supplied the nuts and honey was the only sweetener available before cane sugar arrived. Rosemary, native to the Mediterranean, was already growing wild in those same hills. It’s a revival of tradition, not a reinvention.

Even Down Under, the tart has found resonance. Australian pastry chef Darren Purchese, owner of Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio in Melbourne, mentioned a “Pinenut, Rosemary & Honey Tartlet” in his November 2022 Substack newsletter, recalling a dessert that paired pine nuts with grapes and rosemary — a nod to spring’s fleeting fruits. Meanwhile, simplyhoney.com.au offers a version called “AB’s Honey and Pine Nut Tart,” recommending it warm with a dollop of cream and a dusting of icing sugar. No measurements, but plenty of soul.

Why This Matters Now

In a world of over-the-top desserts — rainbow cakes, deconstructed tiramisu, 12-layer croissants — this tart stands out because it asks for nothing but patience and attention. It doesn’t shout. It whispers. And that’s why it’s resonating now. Consumers are tired of gimmicks. They want authenticity. They want flavor that connects them to a season, a place, a memory. The tart’s resurgence isn’t just about taste — it’s about rhythm. It’s a dessert that doesn’t exist until the honey is ready, until the pine nuts are harvested, until the citrus is at its peak. It’s a culinary calendar.

What’s Next for the Tart?

Bakeries from New York to Portland are already testing spring menus with DePalma’s tart as their centerpiece. Some are adding lavender. Others are experimenting with almond flour crusts. A few in California are using wildflower honey from local apiaries, labeling each batch with the beekeeper’s name. Meanwhile, culinary schools are reintroducing the recipe into their pastry curricula. The Institute of Culinary Arts in New York added it to its seasonal dessert module last fall. “It’s the perfect teaching tool,” said instructor Elena Ruiz. “It teaches balance. Texture. Restraint. And respect for ingredients.”

Roots in the Soil, Not the Screen

What makes this tart enduring isn’t social media. It’s soil. It’s seasons. It’s the fact that you can’t make it well in December. You have to wait. And that’s rare in a world where everything is available all the time. DePalma didn’t invent the tart — she gave it structure. She gave it a voice. And now, as spring returns, so does the tart — quiet, golden, and perfect.