15 Italian Desserts Beyond Tiramisu That Nonna Would Be Proud Of
Tiramisu gets all the attention, but Italy has so many more sweet treasures waiting for you. Every region has its own Italian desserts, from crispy Sicilian cannoli to Tuscan biscotti made for dunking. Most are simple, honest and made with olive oil, ricotta, almonds, lemons and good coffee. And if you have never made it, here is how to make classic tiramisu at home. Ready for a sweet trip from Milan to Palermo? Andiamo..
Struffoli, Christmas Honey Balls From Italian Desserts Tradition
In Naples, Christmas is not complete without struffoli. These are tiny fried dough balls tossed in warm honey and piled into a wreath or a little mountain, then decorated with colorful sprinkles and candied fruit. Everyone pulls off a few with their fingers. It is one of those Italian desserts that turns making it into a family event.
You will need: 2 cups flour, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp soft butter, zest of 1 lemon, pinch of salt, oil for frying, 1 cup honey, colored sprinkles, candied orange peel.
How to make it: Knead the flour, eggs, sugar, butter, zest and salt into a soft dough. Rest 30 minutes. Roll into thin ropes and cut into tiny pieces. Fry in hot oil at 350F in small batches until golden. Drain. Warm the honey, toss in the balls and shape into a ring on a plate. Decorate with sprinkles and candied peel.
Sicilian Cannoli, the Icon of Italian Desserts
Cannoli are crisp fried pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream. They come from Sicily, where they were once made for Carnival. The golden rule: fill them right before serving so the shells stay crunchy. Dip the ends in chopped pistachios or mini chocolate chips. Store bought shells are perfectly fine if you are short on time. Pistachio or chocolate ends, which do you choose?
You will need: 12 cannoli shells, 2 cups whole milk ricotta drained overnight, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, zest of 1 orange, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, chopped pistachios.
How to make it: Beat the drained ricotta with the powdered sugar, vanilla and orange zest until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon into a piping bag. Fill each shell from both ends just before serving. Dip the ends in pistachios and dust with powdered sugar.
Homemade Gelato
Gelato is denser and silkier than ice cream because it uses more milk, less cream and is churned slowly. This easy vanilla version is a perfect base for adding chocolate, pistachio or fruit. No ice cream maker? Freeze it in a shallow dish and stir it every 30 minutes for a few hours. Quick poll: your gelato flavor? A) Pistachio B) Chocolate C) Stracciatella D) Lemon. Gelato is the most famous of frozen Italian desserts.
You will need: 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 4 egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt.
How to make it: Heat the milk, cream and vanilla until steaming. Whisk the yolks and sugar, slowly pour in the hot milk, then return to the pot. Stir over low heat until it coats a spoon. Strain and chill overnight. Churn in an ice cream maker and freeze until scoopable.
Almond Biscotti
Biscotti means twice baked. That second bake makes them dry and crunchy, perfect for dunking in coffee or Vin Santo, a sweet Tuscan wine. They keep for weeks in a jar, which makes them a great holiday gift. Try adding dried cranberries and pistachios for a red and green Christmas version. How do you take yours, dunked or plain?
You will need: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1 cup whole almonds.
How to make it: Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and stir into a sticky dough. Fold in the almonds. Shape into two logs on a lined sheet. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, slice diagonally, then bake the slices 10 minutes per side.
Affogato, the Easiest of Italian Desserts
Affogato is the easiest of all Italian desserts and maybe the most elegant. The name means drowned. A scoop of vanilla gelato is drowned in a shot of hot espresso right at the table. Hot and cold, bitter and sweet, all in one cup. It takes two minutes and feels like dessert at a fancy restaurant. Perfect for coffee lovers.
You will need: 1 scoop vanilla gelato or ice cream per person, 1 shot hot espresso or very strong coffee per person, optional shaved chocolate or a biscotti.
How to make it: Put a scoop of gelato in a small glass or cup. Brew the espresso. Pour the hot espresso over the gelato right before eating. Add shaved chocolate or serve a biscotti on the side.
Berry Panna Cotta
Panna cotta means cooked cream, and it comes from Piedmont in northern Italy. It is a silky, gently set cream with a soft wobble. Topped with a bright berry sauce, it looks stunning in glasses. You can make it a day ahead, which makes it a smart choice for holiday dinners. Do you like that wobble, or does it make you nervous?
You will need: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 tsp gelatin, 3 tbsp cold water. Sauce: 2 cups mixed berries, 3 tbsp sugar, squeeze of lemon.
How to make it: Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it bloom 5 minutes. Heat the cream, milk and sugar until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in the gelatin until melted, then the vanilla. Pour into glasses and chill 4 hours. Simmer the berries with sugar and lemon for 5 minutes, cool and spoon on top.
Italian Olive Oil Cake
Olive oil cake is a simple, everyday Italian cake that stays moist for days. Good olive oil gives it a golden color and a gentle fruity flavor, and orange or lemon zest makes it bright. It is lovely with coffee in the morning or with berries and cream for dessert. Have you tried baking with olive oil yet? Olive oil cake shows how simple Italian desserts can be.
You will need: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3/4 cup milk, zest of 1 orange, powdered sugar.
How to make it: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then the milk and zest. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into a greased 9 inch pan. Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Torta Caprese, Gluten Free Italian Desserts at Their Best
Torta Caprese comes from the island of Capri. Legend says a baker forgot to add flour, and the result was this dense, fudgy chocolate cake made with ground almonds instead. That happy mistake means it is naturally gluten free. It has a thin, crackly top and a soft middle. Serve it with whipped cream or a scoop of gelato.
You will need: 7 oz dark chocolate, 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 4 eggs separated, 1 3/4 cups ground almonds, pinch of salt, sliced almonds and powdered sugar to top.
How to make it: Melt the chocolate and butter. Beat the yolks with the sugar until thick, then stir in the chocolate and almonds. Beat the whites with salt until stiff and fold in gently. Pour into a greased 9 inch springform pan and scatter sliced almonds on top. Bake at 340F for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool and dust with sugar.
Italian Lemon Loaf Cake
Southern Italy is famous for its huge, fragrant lemons, and this loaf cake shows them off. It is tender, buttery and covered in a sweet lemon glaze. A little yogurt or ricotta in the batter keeps it extra moist. Slice it for breakfast, dessert or a mid afternoon snack. Sunshine in cake form, even in the middle of winter.
You will need: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 cup sugar, zest of 2 lemons, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice.
How to make it: Rub the zest into the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, yogurt, oil and lemon juice. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. Bake in a lined loaf pan at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool, then pour the lemon glaze over the top.
Lobster Tail Pastries (Aragosta)
Do not worry, there is no seafood here. Aragosta, or lobster tail, is a crisp, flaky Italian pastry shaped like a lobster tail and filled with a creamy mix of pastry cream and whipped cream. They are a favorite in Italian American bakeries. This home version uses puff pastry rolled into cones for an easier shortcut.
You will need: 1 sheet puff pastry, 1 egg beaten, sugar for sprinkling. Filling: 1 cup vanilla pastry cream, 1 cup heavy cream whipped, 1/2 cup ricotta, powdered sugar.
How to make it: Cut the pastry into strips and wrap around greased cone molds or foil cones. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400F for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool and remove the molds. Fold the pastry cream, whipped cream and ricotta together and pipe into the shells. Dust with powdered sugar.
Ciambellone (Italian Breakfast Bundt Cake)
Ciambellone is the ring cake that Italian grandmothers bake for breakfast. It is simple, light and not too sweet, made for dunking into milk or coffee. Many families measure the ingredients with a yogurt cup, which makes it super easy. It is one of those Italian desserts that makes a whole house smell wonderful. Who in your family loves a breakfast cake?
You will need: 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup milk, zest of 1 lemon, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, pinch of salt, powdered sugar.
How to make it: Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the oil, milk and lemon zest. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Mini Sicilian Cassata
Cassata is a colorful Sicilian celebration cake, especially popular at Easter. Sponge cake is layered with sweet ricotta and covered in pale green marzipan, then decorated with candied fruit. These little cassatine are individual domes that look like jewels. They take some time, but they are a real conversation piece for a holiday table.
You will need: Sponge cake, 2 cups ricotta drained, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 7 oz marzipan tinted pale green, 1 cup powdered sugar glaze, candied cherries.
How to make it: Line small dome molds with plastic wrap and thin slices of sponge. Beat the ricotta with powdered sugar and fold in the chocolate chips. Fill the molds and cover with more sponge. Chill 2 hours, then unmold. Cover each with rolled marzipan, spoon glaze over the top and add a candied cherry.
Jam Crostata, the Everyday Hero of Italian Desserts
Crostata is the rustic jam tart you will find in every Italian home and cafe. A crumbly, lemony pastry called pasta frolla is filled with your favorite jam and topped with a lattice. It is simple enough for a weeknight and pretty enough for guests. Quick poll: which jam would you use? A) Apricot B) Cherry C) Raspberry D) Fig.
You will need: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cold butter, 1 egg plus 1 yolk, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 cups thick jam.
How to make it: Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the egg, yolk and zest and knead briefly. Chill 30 minutes. Press two thirds into a tart pan and spread with jam. Roll the rest into strips and make a lattice. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden.
Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
Italian ricotta cheesecake is lighter and fluffier than the cream cheese kind. It has a gentle sweetness with notes of lemon and vanilla, and sometimes a splash of orange. It is a classic for Easter and Christmas in Italian American homes. It cracks a little on top, and that is part of its homemade charm.
You will need: 2 lb whole milk ricotta drained, 1 cup sugar, 6 eggs, 1/4 cup flour, zest of 1 lemon, zest of 1 orange, 2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, butter for the pan.
How to make it: Butter a 9 inch springform pan. Beat the ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the flour, zests, vanilla and salt. Pour into the pan. Bake at 350F for 60 to 70 minutes until golden and just set. Cool in the oven with the door open, then chill.
Semifreddo
Semifreddo means half cold. It is a frozen dessert with the creamy texture of a mousse, and you do not need an ice cream maker. Whipped cream and a light egg custard are folded together and frozen in a loaf pan. Slice it and serve with berries or chocolate sauce. It is a great make ahead dessert for any holiday gathering. It is one of the best make ahead Italian desserts.
You will need: 3 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla, berries and mint to serve.
How to make it: Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar over simmering water until thick and warm, about 6 minutes. Beat off the heat until cool. Whip the cream with vanilla and fold it in. Pour into a lined loaf pan and freeze at least 6 hours. Slice and serve with berries.
