italian desserts

A hint of orange blossom adds a floral touch to the this polenta and almond-based orange cake.

Orange and polenta cake

unsalted butter,

demerara caster sugar

eggs

vanilla essence

(200 grams) almond meal

coarse polenta

oranges

tsp orange blossom water

gluten-free baking powder

Creme fraiche

(250 milliliters) orange juice

milliliters orange blossom water

cardamom pods, crushed

caster sugar

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Life is busy, but that doesn't mean there isn't time for dessert. Silvia Colloca shares her hacks for impressive Italian bakes made at the touch of a (food processor) button.

Coffee and hazelnut amaretti

eggwhites,

caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle

(300 grams) hazelnut meal

vanilla bean paste

instant coffee powder

dark chocolate coated coffee beans

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This super-simple Italian dessert actually benefits from being made ahead, allowing all the lovely flavours to mingle

Best ever tiramisu

pot double cream

tub mascarpone

milliliters marsala

tbsp golden caster sugar

milliliters

pack sponge fingers

dark chocolate

cocoa powder

Put the double cream, mascarpone, marsala and golden caster sugar in a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-best-rolling-pins">bowl</a>.

<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-whisks">Whisk</a> until the cream and mascarpone have completely combined and have the consistency of thickly whipped cream.

Pour the coffee into a shallow dish. Dip in a few of the sponge fingers at a time, turning for a few seconds until they are nicely soaked, but not soggy. Layer these in a dish until you’ve used half the sponge fingers, then spread over half of the creamy mixture.

Using the coarse side of the <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-graters">grater</a>, grate over most of the dark chocolate. Then repeat the layers (you should use up all the coffee), finishing with the creamy layer.

Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

To serve, dust with the cocoa powder and grate over the remainder of the chocolate.

Ready in 10 minutes, this Italian affogato recipe is so simple, just douse vanilla ice-cream in espresso coffee. For a kick of cinnamon, try our chai kulfi affogato instead.

Classic Italian affogato

made-up coffee

vanilla ice cream

chocolate (optional)

Make the espresso coffee, which will be enough for 4 little after-dinner coffee cups.

Put the ice cream into 4 dessert glasses or cups. Drown (the literal meaning of affogato) each with coffee and serve while warm and melting. For an added treat, you could melt a few pieces of plain chocolate in the hot coffee before pouring over the ice cream.

These classic Sicilian treats are hard to resist. Creamy ricotta and zesty lemon curd cuts through the richness of the cannoli pastry beautifully.

Cannoli

cold lard, chopped

(60 milliliters) moscato or white wine

Sunflower oil, to deep-fry

white chocolate, melted

ricotta

(35 grams) pure icing sugar

orange

tsp vanilla extract

mixed peel, finely chopped

lemons

unsalted butter, chopped

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If you love a classic tiramisu but have never made it at home, it’s not as hard as you may think! Learn how to make tiramisu and wow your loved ones with this elegant dessert.

Tiramisu

sugar

milk

heavy whipping cream

vanilla extract

mascarpone cheese, room temperature

¾ cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature

Kahlua

(7-ounce) package ladyfingers (see note)

Chocolate curls, optional

In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks...

In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Mixture will appear slightly curdled - this is totally okay. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Once the egg yolk mixture has chilled, prepare...

Once the egg yolk mixture has chilled, prepare the whipped cream. 

In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla...

In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Whisk or beat together the chilled egg yolk...

Whisk or beat together the chilled egg yolk mixture with the mascarpone until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine coffee and Kahlua....

In a medium bowl, combine coffee and Kahlua. Roll each ladyfinger in the coffee mixture once or twice. Take care not to oversaturate the ladyfingers.

Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom...

Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 7x11 inch dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and lightly dust with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

This ricotta cheesecake is zesty from the lemon and yet sweet from the strawberries.

Baked ricotta cheesecake with wild strawberries

(45 grams) sultanas

(60 milliliters) sweet marsala

tbs finely grated lemon zest and 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) lemon juice

(220 grams) caster sugar

wild strawberries

Orange blossom honey

unsalted butter, softened

(55 grams) caster sugar

(185 grams) plain flour

(35 grams) self-raising flour

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The Italian pumpkin pie I've been dreaming of!

Spiced Pumpkin Tiramisu

coffee

lb. cream cheese

pumpkin puree

pumpkin spice

heavy cream

gelatin (Knox)

water

salt

ladyfingers (40)

Chocolate shavings & pumpkin spice,

In a bowl, whisk together cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree using a hand mixer, until combined. Set aside.

Using the hand mixer, whisk heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt until whipped cream starts to thicken. Stop and prepare gelatin.

Mix gelatin and cold water together, then microwave for 10 seconds. Mix until gelatin crystals dissolve and add to whipped cream. Continue whisking until soft peaks form and the whipped cream can hold it’s shape.

Dip ladyfingers in coffee mixture, fully submerged, and evenly line the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

Spread half of the pumpkin cream cheese over lady fingers, using a small offset spatula. Top with half of the whipped cream. Repeat layering with lady fingers, pumpkin then whipped cream. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or best overnight.

Garnish with pumpkin spice and chocolate shavings, cut and serve.

Directions:

Roasted Chestnuts (Castagne)

chestnuts

Rinse and dry the chestnuts well.

With a sharp knife (like a paring knife), carefully score the chestnuts in the center, making a line going across the round side, just piercing the inner skin and not the chestnut itself.

Scoring is an important step, because chestnuts expand as they roast.

Optional: Soak the scored chestnuts in a bowl of hot water for one minute to help with steaming.  Drain and dry them well.

Preparing the Chestnuts

Preheat the oven or airfryer 356F / 180C, unless you are using a pan on the stovetop.

Oven - cook chestnuts on a lined baking sheet. Shake baking sheet halfway through cooking. Depending on your oven, you may need to flip the chestnuts so they cook evenly. (Approximately 30 minutes).

Air Fryer - shake basket to flip chestnuts a couple of times during cooking. (Approximately 30 minutes).

Pan - Roast over a medium-low flame, tossing often. (Approximately 10-15 minutes).

Cooking the Chestnuts

What a great post, and so different.  Thanks for sharing. Will most definitely give this a shot, wish me luck.....;)

Pizzelle cookies are delicate and crisp Italian waffle cookies flavored with anise. Make this Italian cookie recipe for a holiday dessert!

Pizzelle Recipe (Classic Italian Waffle Cookies)

eggs (room temperature)

anise extract (optional (SEE NOTE

anise seed (ground (SEE NOTE

unsalted butter

all-purpose flour

Heat pizzelle waffle iron while preparing the batter.

Measure 1 tablespoon anise seed into a small saucepan. Heat over medium for about 1 minute, stirring regularly, until seeds are toasted. Transfer toasted anise seed to a pestle and grind with a mortar until finely ground.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until pale yellow and slightly thickened (about 3 minutes).

Beat in melted butter, vanilla extract, ground anise seed, and anise extract, if using.

Combine flour and a pinch of salt and add to the egg mixture. Toss in the ground anise seed and then mix everything together, just until combined. Batter will be very thick.

Brush the waffle iron with a bit of melted butter if it is not a non-stick iron.

Add 2 tablespoons of batter to each space on the pizzelle waffle iron. Use a piping bag with a large open tip (like tip 1A) to pipe a flatter, more widely distributed swirl of batter onto the iron.

Close the iron and cook until the pizzelles are golden brown. Remove from iron.

Use a 5” biscuit or cookie cutter to trim any excess batter from the embossed pizzelle shape.

Allow pizzelles to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

These pizzelle cookies are the bomb! I added a touch of lemon zest to the batter for a citrusy twist – they turned out amazing!

These pizzelle cookies from The Slow Roasted Italian website are a true delight! I followed Donna and Chad's recipe, and they turned out so delicious.

We soak the anise seeds in brandy overnight! Makes the flavor pop! Great recipe

Very good! Sending these to a friend for her bday. I couldn't find anise seed so I used the extract (next time I will use more extract unless I can find seeds)

These actually turned out great for me! I loved the taste, and my kids ate them up! Definitely a hit in my house!

Enjoying Sicilian Cheesecake with Ricotta, Orange and Almond is a favorite Easter tradition in my home. It’s a great recipe to share with family and friends on holidays and special occasions, is easy to make and can be made well in advance and frozen.

Sicilian Cheesecake with Ricotta, Orange and Almond

graham crackers ((15 whole Nabisco brand crackers, graham cracker crumbs))

Tbsp sugar

unsalted butter ((1 stick) + more to grease pan)

oranges ((See NOTES.))

whole milk ricotta cheese

eggs, (at room temperature, beaten)

tsp orange or vanilla extract

almond extract

Sliced almonds, (lightly toasted)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350℉. Prep and gather all ingredients. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9” springform pan.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)

Put the ricotta in a strainer or fine mesh sieve propped over a bowl and let it drain out excess liquid for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. (You can line it with cheesecloth if you have it.) Discard the liquid and transfer the strained ricotta to a large bowl and set aside.

Place the graham crackers and almonds in a food processor or blender and pulse until they are the consistency of breadcrumbs. (It is normal (and really great) to have slightly bigger bits of the almonds in the crust mixture. (See close-up photo above.) You will LOVE the final texture it creates!)

Transfer this crumb mixture to a bowl and combine them with the sugar. (NOTE: If you don’t have a food processor or blender just put the crackers and nuts in a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Since the crumbs need to be fine, you will have to put some elbow grease into it!)

Melt the butter over low heat and stir in the orange zest.

Pour the butter mixture into the crumb mixture and mix until well-combined and until the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand. If needed, add a little more melted butter. The texture should be similar to wet sand–thick and coarse. Smash/break up any large chunks.

Then, firmly press this mixture evenly into the bottom and along the sides of the springform pan with your hands, applying medium-firm pressure until the crumbs are set. (You don’t want any loose crumbs.) The crust does not need to come all the way up the sides of the pan, just an inch or so.

Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to help smooth out and gently pack down the crust into the pan and up the sides. It should be compact, but not so tight that it bakes into a hard crust. You can also run a spoon along the bottom corners to keep a rounded shape.

Transfer the unbaked crust to a middle rack in a 350℉ preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let the crust cool at least 10 minutes before filling it. Note that the crust will be soft after it’s removed from the oven, but will set and harden in a short amount of time.

Make The Crust:

Place the sugar in a bowl and sift the flour into it. Stir together.

Beat the eggs with the extracts and zest.

Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, gently fold the sugar mixture into the ricotta until well-combined. (NOTE: Do not use an electric mixer as it may cause overmixing and break the cheese.)

Then, add the egg mixture to the ricotta a little at a time, while continuing to mix gently with spatula or spoon until well-blended and smooth.

Carefully pour the batter in the cooled graham cracker crust. Poke a few “holes” into the batter with the spatula to prevent air pockets, then smooth the top with the spatula. (NOTE: Expect the batter to be very loose.)

Make The Filling:

Transfer pan to a middle rack in a 350℉ preheated oven and bake for 55-72 minutes or until the cake is firm all the way to the top center. Begin checking it at 55 minutes. The exact amount of time will depend on your oven. (In my electric oven, it almost always takes exactly 72 minutes.) The top will be brown around the edges. (See photo above.)

Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Bake the Cheesecake:

This cheesecake is best chilled at least a few hours. It should have at least 3 hours in the refrigerator to set before serving. When ready to serve, remove cake from the springform pan and carefully transfer it to a plate.

Dust the top of the cake with some powdered sugar and sprinkle the slices with toasted sliced almonds, if desired. For a clean slice, use a sharp, smooth (not serrated) knife and run it under hot water then wipe it dry before every slice. Buon Appetito!

Serving:

Just made this recipe… It is truly AMAZING! 
Directions were very easy to follow.  Simple ingredients which is important for me. As I was putting it together, the smell of the orange in both the crust and the cheesecake filling was mesmerizing!
I baked it early for Easter (will freeze it) and plan to travel to Florida with it.

This was so delicious!!!  The cheesecake was so creamy and full of flavor and the crust was like no other graham cracker crust recipe.   The almonds gave it a nice crunch!  I couldn’t wait to taste it so I cut it before the 3 hrs of refrigeration was up!!!  Can’t wait to make another one for Easter.  Thank you  Michele for sharing your outstanding recipes with all of us!!🥰🥰🥰

Definitely a Mother’s Day hit! Took awhile to cook the middle but the orange and almond flavors were so good.

My family loved this cheesecake and commented on how light and flavorful it is with the creamy ricotta cheese, crunchy crust and hint of orange. I will make this again!
My springform pan was 10”, which is larger than the recipe called for, so I made 1.5x the recipe. I used all of the crust and almost all of the filling so it wouldn’t overflow. It took just a few minutes longer to bake and I checked it frequently. It turned out perfectly and now we have a new family favorite!

Delicious! Raves from around the table! Those who had chosen other desserts had to have a ‘sliver’, which was easy to cut! Everyone was amazed at how light it was - perfect after a heavy meal preceded by an array of starters. 
Full disclosure, I left out the orange zest from the crust cuz I was prepping toooo much food! Maybe why it was a little hard getting the crust to stick, but it worked &amp; I figured it out later. (I threw the zest into the ham glaze) Next, there was a crater in the center of filling that didn’t go away till 70 minutes, so the filling was brown all the way across. 
BUT, before serving my daughter shook powdered sugar over the top and it was a huge success!! I will definitely make this again!
Thank you for another great recipe!

This looks amazing. 
I'm looking forward to making this for Passover this year!

My family and I LOVED this recipe, especially the crust. Can't wait to make it again!

When pretty panettones stack up at the bakery, you know Santa’s on his way. This recipe for the sweet, fluffy loaf delivers the festive taste of Italy to your holiday table.

Top 12 italian desserts recipes from across the web

The most viewed italian desserts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Orange and polenta cake

Coffee and hazelnut amaretti

Best ever tiramisu

Classic Italian affogato

Cannoli

Tiramisu

Baked ricotta cheesecake with wild ...

Spiced Pumpkin Tiramisu

Roasted Chestnuts (Castagne)

Pizzelle Recipe (Classic Italian Wa...

Sicilian Cheesecake with Ricotta, O...

Panettone (The Best)

Top 12 italian desserts recipes from across the web

The most viewed italian desserts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Orange and polenta cake

Coffee and hazelnut amaretti

Best ever tiramisu

Classic Italian affogato

Cannoli

Tiramisu

Baked ricotta cheesecake with wild ...

Spiced Pumpkin Tiramisu

Roasted Chestnuts (Castagne)

Pizzelle Recipe (Classic Italian Wa...

Sicilian Cheesecake with Ricotta, O...

Panettone (The Best)

The most viewed italian desserts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine