Any dessert is the crown of the meal. Italian dessert is a small celebration with fireworks of taste and childish delight.
Italy was glorified by Raphael and Michelangelo, Rome and Venice, pizza and desserts. And these “celebrities” evoke sincere admiration and reverence from the whole world, but Italian desserts... You cannot write about them in prose. Pastries, biscuits, cakes, sweets, ice cream - delicious in their names, about which you need to write separate poems. Tiramisu - a crispy-airy delicacy with mascarpone cheese, Panna Cotta - a creamy jelly dessert, Biscotti - sweet croutons, Cannaloni - creamy rolls, Panforte - almond cake, Sabayon - aromatic wine cream. And this is not the entire list of sweets that Italy is proud of.
Italian desserts– a symbol of exquisite taste and the highest quality. They are more original than French ones, lighter than German ones and more elegant than British ones. Italian sweets, like oriental ones, contain nuts, but unlike sugary honey delicacies, they are airy and incredibly tender.
You can praise the desserts of Italy for ages, but still, it’s better to try. As a rule, their recipe is simple, and preparation is not complicated by unnecessary processes. Therefore, you can easily create a delicious little Italy right at home.
Tiramisu - a dessert that lifts your spirits
Tiramisu is the hallmark of dessert Italy. For the first time, crispy cookies with layers of airy cheese cream were served to the Tuscan Archduke de' Medici. This happened back in the 17th century. Since then, many desserts have been created, but this one turned out to be so delicious that it became a favorite not only of Italians, but of the whole world.
"Tira mi su" translated from Italian means "lift me up." The chocolate-coffee combination gives the dessert a slight stimulating effect, which results in an elevated and elevated mood.
Tiramisu is a delicate delicacy that does not require baking. It cannot be called a cake or cake. And if in an expensive restaurant under his name they serve you a neatly cut piece, don’t believe it. Tiramisu cut into pieces with a knife is not Tiramisu. A real Italian dessert is served only with a spoon.
Recipe: Classic Tiramisu
2 eggs, 250 g Lombardy mascarpone cheese 55%, 30 pcs. savoiardi cookies, 75 g powdered sugar, 200 ml strong coffee, 2 tbsp. spoons of Marsala wine, 80 g of cocoa powder.
Brew strong natural coffee in a coffee machine or cezve and leave to cool. Whip mascarpone (cream curdled with tartaric acid) intensively until the consistency of very thick sour cream. Divide the powdered sugar and beat the whites with one part into a stable foam. The second is to grind with cold yolks until white. Carefully add the yolk “cream” to the mascarpone, whisking at the same time. And then add fluffy whites into the resulting mass one spoon at a time, moving from bottom to top. Pour cold coffee and a couple of spoons of Marsala into a container convenient for dipping Savoyardi (can be replaced with rum or cognac). Quickly dip each cookie into the coffee and place it tightly in the prepared pans. The next layer is thick cream (Savoiardi should lie in it, not float). Alternating soaked cookies and mascarpone, fill out the form. The last one will be the cream layer. Place the finished Tiramisu in the refrigerator for 3 hours, but it is better to let it soak all night. Before serving, dust the dessert with cocoa powder and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Recipe: Savoiardi
Real cookies for Tiramisu are a scarce product. But Savoyardi can be baked according to the basic recipe at home.
For 40 pieces you will need: 120 g sugar, 6 eggs, 80 g flour, 80 g starch, a pinch of salt, powdered sugar.
Grind the cooled yolks with 1/2 granulated sugar. Add flour and starch gradually and in small portions, and add salt. When the mass becomes homogeneous after 7-10 minutes, you can start adding whites. They need to be whipped in a glass or ceramic bowl with the remaining sugar until stable foam. Mix both masses very gently and place in special savoiardi molds or use a pastry syringe. You should get ten-centimeter sticks on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the biscuit pieces with powder and place them in the oven at a temperature of 180 °C. Bake without opening the oven until the Savoiardi becomes its characteristic beige color. Cool cookies in open oven.
If the cookies are not dry enough for Tiramisu, it is recommended to dry them in the oven, or leave them overnight under a covered towel at room temperature.
Panna Cotta - Italian “peasant young lady”
The name of this dessert sounds like an appeal to a young unmarried woman - Panna Cotta. But its translation is somewhat simple and means only “boiled cream.” But it was this unassuming name that made the Italian dessert famous throughout the world.
The base of Panna Cotta is cream, which is boiled and infused with vanilla sweetness. Gelatin is added to the dessert at the end, and its quantity determines whether the panna cotta will hold its shape or become a creamy jelly, which is served in bowls.
Recipe: Two-color panna cotta with berries
250 ml of cream with a fat content of 33-36%, 60 ml of milk with a fat content of 6%, 70 g of sugar, 6 g of gelatin sheets, ½ vanilla bean or a bag of sugar, 150 g of mixed berries (currants, raspberries, blueberries), a handful of berries for layering and decorations.
Soak half the gelatin in cool water. Divide the cream, milk and sugar in half and start working with the first part. Boil milk ingredients in a saucepan. While stirring, add sugar and vanilla. Add the swollen gelatin to the saucepan, stir and immediately turn off. When the milk mixture has cooled slightly, fill the bowls halfway with it.
Pour the remaining gelatin with water to swell. And at this time, take care of the berries and the second part of the set aside ingredients. Grind the berry mix with sugar (you can use a blender) and bring to a boil. Stirring continuously, boil for a couple of minutes. In another saucepan, boil the milk mixture and “fill” it with gelatin, as in the first case. Combine the berry and milk mass and cool.
Place a few fresh berries on the well-frozen half of the dessert and pour the milk-berry mixture over them. The panna cotta should sit in the refrigerator until completely set. Serve dessert with whole berries and mint leaves.
Biscotti - a dessert “twice baked”
“Crusks” is what someone unfamiliar with Italian desserts would call Biscotti. And I would be wrong. Of course, Biscotti looks very similar to crackers, but it tastes like an exquisite dessert that often accompanies coffee or even sweet wine.
From the Latin “biscotto” translates as “twice baked”. And the name itself reveals the method of preparing the dessert. It is baked twice. First, long, narrow loaves with nuts are prepared and baked, and then they are cut into “sandwich” slices and dried in the oven to make the “crackers” golden brown and crispy.
Not only nuts are added to the Biscotti dough, but also dried fruits, fresh fruits, chocolate, zest, liqueur and other goodies. And so that not only the taste, but also the appearance of the dessert acquires aristocratic sophistication, it is covered with glaze or chocolate.
Recipe: Orange-Chocolate Biscotti with Candied Ginger
150 g butter, 400 g flour, 200 g sugar, 3 eggs, 1 orange, 25 g cocoa powder, 12 g baking powder, 50 g dark chocolate, 70 g candied ginger, a pinch of salt.
Remove the zest from the orange using a grater. Chop candied ginger and chocolate into small pieces. Grind the butter with sugar into a creamy mass, add orange zest and gradually stir in the eggs. Separately mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder) and combine them with the egg mixture, kneading until smooth. Add candied fruits and chocolate to the finished dough and form long “sausages” on a baking sheet with parchment paper. If the dough turns out runny, you can spread it in an even layer in a rectangular baking dish. Place the dough in the oven at 175°C and bake for about half an hour. Check readiness with a toothpick. If it comes out dry from the dough, the baking is ready. Cool outside of oven. Cut the cooled loaves (or cake) into equal slices (about 10 mm) with a sharp knife. Place the biscotti back into the oven and brown on both sides (10 minutes each) at 150°C.
Panforte gingerbread – a Christmas gift with almonds, honey and spices
Dessert almond pastries Panforte are given to Italian families for Christmas. The uniqueness of the pie is that its recipe ingredients, such as nuts, dried fruits and spices, can be added to your own taste. This will not stop Panforte from being an Italian dessert. There will simply be another original recipe that can become a traditional gift for the Christmas holidays in your family.
Italian Panforte is very easy to prepare. This dessert is stored in the refrigerator for a very long time, and after six months you can taste the “gift” presented at Christmas.
Recipe: Chocolate Panforte with nuts
180 g high quality flour, 160 g sugar, 3 tbsp. spoons of honey, 100 g of almonds, 50 g of cashews, 70 g of dark chocolate, a glass of dark and light raisins, 0.5 teaspoons of cinnamon, on the tip of a knife - nutmeg, cloves, a spoonful of water, a couple of drops of almond essence, cocoa powder for sprinkling, salt.
Combine dry products: flour, spices, salt and add nuts and dried fruits. Prepare a syrup sauce from water, sugar and honey. Remove from heat and drop almond essence into the sweet liquid, add chopped chocolate. Make a “well” in a bowl with dry ingredients and pour syrup into it. Combine everything well during the mixing process. The dough should be firm. Place the workpiece in a mold greased with oil or covered with paper. Bake at low temperature (150 °C for half an hour) so that the “candy” does not dry out. Cut the finished gingerbread into thin pieces and roll in cocoa.
For a gift, place the slices in a beautiful packaging box and tie with a ribbon.
Creme Sabayon – an Italian delicacy with the aroma of wine
Sweet egg cream is the basis of confectionery, without which Italian desserts would not be Italian. It occupies a leading position among creams and delicious cakes and pastries are created on its basis. And sometimes confectioners use it in Tiramisu. However, Sabayon is, first of all, a complete and independent dessert in a cold glass, decorated with flowers, berries or figs. Strong Sicilian wine Marsala or white sparkling d’Asti are traditionally added to the cream as an alcoholic filling.
Recipe: Sabayon with champagne and drunken berries
200 g of mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries), juice and zest of half a lemon, 4 yolks, 150 ml of sweet champagne, 85 g of sugar.
Sprinkle the berry mix with a teaspoon of sugar and pour in the “drunken” syrup of champagne and lemon juice, and put it in the refrigerator. Heat a bowl in a steam bath and put sugar, zest and yolks into it. Gently whisk the mixture. Under no circumstances should it boil! When the mass begins to lighten and increase in size, add champagne a little at a time without interrupting the whipping process. Pour warm Sabayon into bowls, garnish with drunk berries and serve immediately.
Ready-made Sabayon can be “incorporated” into any other desserts. For example, season a fruit salad with wine cream or pour over peach slices pickled in red wine. And scoops of chocolate or vanilla ice cream will perfectly complement Sabayon with coffee liqueur.
Cannoli - a dessert for wanderers
Cannoli is a favorite sweet of the people of Sicily. It was they who came up with the idea of wrapping the delicate curd filling in waffle rolls, fried using special sticks. They were prepared only on those days when carnivals were held. Decorated with candied fruits, nuts or chocolate. It was also customary to treat Cannoli to people who traveled to Italy and learned the culture of the country through national traditions, including culinary ones.
Recipe: Sicilian Cannoli with Strawberry Sauce
70 g flour, 150 g sugar, 70 g butter, 3 eggs, 70 g glucose syrup or honey, 250 g ricotta cheese, 100 g mascarpone, 50 g crushed almonds, 250 g strawberries, ¾ cup powdered sugar.
Knead the dough for the tubes from honey, flour, sugar and melted butter. Line the pan with parchment and spoon out the dough, forming circles. Place the baking sheet in the oven. The tubes will be baked until golden brown at a temperature of 170°C. Quickly roll the hot mugs into tubes. Combine ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, almonds and eggs and stir to form a smooth, creamy filling. Cut the strawberries into pieces, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cook, stirring until a fragrant and rich syrup forms. Fill the tubes with cream, place beautifully on a plate and pour over strawberry sauce.
Refined taste of homemade ice cream Semifreddo
Italian desserts are impossible without eggs. The only exception is fruit ice cream. The fluffiness of beaten eggs is the main component of many desserts. And Semifreddo is one of these delicacies. This version of Italian homemade ice cream is made with egg whites and heavy cream or cream cheese. Berries, fruits, nuts or caramel are often added to dessert.
Recipe: Semifreddo with berries and nuts
3 egg whites, 100 ml of cream (highest fat content), 100 g of powdered sugar, a handful of cherries, walnut kernels, blueberries, black and red currants, a pinch of salt.
Wash the berries, sort them, cut them into large ones. Beat the whites with a pinch of salt into a fluffy “snow”, adding powdered sugar in portions. Add chopped nuts and berries to chilled whipped cream. Gently mix this mixture in small portions into the puffed egg whites. The mixture should remain fluffy and homogeneous. Line a mold for soft ice cream with film and add the protein and berry mixture. Place the tray in the freezer. Let it freeze there for two hours. This time is enough for the dessert to set without ice crystals appearing. Serve Semifreddo with berries and a scattering of nut crumbs.
Italian desserts is a small journey into an entire culinary culture. But to do it, you don’t have to go to the land of gastronomic masterpieces. A holiday of sweet happiness in Italian can be organized where there is a love for desserts and a curiosity for experiments. And once you try Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, Panforte or Sabione at least once, you will no longer be able to help but love sweet Italy!
Italy is one of the most delicious countries in the world, with the richest gastronomic traditions. She fried us pizza and pasta, but they are not the only ones that authentic Italian cuisine is famous for. The country that teaches the rest of the world the art of dolce vita (“sweet life”) offers us desserts that are worth trying at least once in our lives.
Gelato
Gelato is an Italian ice cream that is deservedly called the most delicious ice cream in the world. In fact, ice cream itself is not an invention of the Italians - according to historical information, the first frozen desserts began to be served in Ancient China. However, it is Italian ice cream that enjoys such fame, and for good reason.
Unlike ice cream produced in other countries of the world, gelato uses less cream and more milk, fewer egg yolks (or they are completely excluded), but more fruit/berry puree is added, from which sorbet is obtained. The mixture is whipped at a lower speed, which makes the gelato dense and rich in taste because less air gets into it. There is no need to talk about the variety of tastes of Italian gelato; you’d better just come to Rome once and appreciate it.
Gelato (photo: italia.it)
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a delicate and aromatic cold Italian dessert. The name tiramisu literally means “pull me up”, it contains mascarpone cheese, savoiardi cookies, and egg yolks. The top of tiramisu is usually dusted with cocoa powder, and the dessert can also be decorated with berries, mainly strawberries, or nuts.
Tiramisu (photo: laurieri.it) Panna cotta
Panna cotta means "cooked cream" in Italian. This dessert comes from the Piedmont region, which is famous for its rich dairy tradition. The original panna cotta was made with honey and egg whites; the modern version includes high quality cream and gelatin. A good panna cotta is always soft and airy in texture, served with fruit syrups, caramel or chocolate sauce.
Panna cotta (photo: recipeshubs.com) Sicilian cassata
Cassata is a sweet and bright sponge cake with layers of ricotta and candied fruit inside. On top it is covered with marzipan mass and decorated with candied fruits and citrus zest. Cassata has been known since the Middle Ages, when Sicily was ruled by Muslims. In Naples they offer the so-called “Italian version” of cassata, when gelato is used instead of ricotta and marzipan (inside and on top).
Sicilian cassata (photo: tribugolosa.com) Cannoli
Classic cannoli are tubes filled with sweet ricotta, decorated with pieces of fruit, chocolate chips, pistachios or other nuts.
Cannoli (photo: ilgustoitaliano.ch) Semifreddo
Semifreddo means “semi-frozen,” and as you might guess, it’s an Italian ice cream-based dessert. It also includes cream, fruits, berries, chocolate, and nuts. It can be uniform or layered, decorated with berries, fruits or other gastronomic decorations on top, depending on the recipe.
Semifreddo (photo: foodtolove.com.au) Cantucci
A classic Tuscan dessert consisting of biscotti with whole almond kernels dipped in sweet wine.
Cantucci (photo: letitwine.com) Caprese cake
Anyone who is at least a little familiar with Italian cuisine knows that caprese is a simple salad with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and olive oil. The name Caprese tells us that the dish is associated with the island of Capri, so there is not only a salad, but also a cake.
Caprese is a chocolate-almond cake with a uniform consistency, soft and juicy inside, which is sure to appeal to lovers of rich chocolate desserts. It is sprinkled with powdered sugar on top.
Caprese cake (photo: breadcakesandale.wordpress.com) Zabaglione
Zabaglione is a dessert that can sometimes take the form of a drink, served in a glass or a wide, low glass. Classic zabaglione consists of beaten egg yolks, which are combined with sugar and Marsala wine, then the mass is cooked in a water bath, gradually thickening and increasing in volume. In northern Italy, Muscat wine is used instead of Marsala wine. Before serving, the dessert is cooled and topped with chocolate or coconut shavings, pieces of fruit, and berries.
Zabaglione can turn out either liquid or thicker, closer to mousse. Depending on its consistency, it can be used in different ways. Some consider zabaglione as a sweet cocktail, others pour it over fruits and berries, or dip biscotti in it.
Zabaglione (photo: the350degreeoven.com) Tartufo di pizzo
Tartufo di pizzo is an ice cream-based dessert traditional in Calabrian cuisine. It is not as famous in the world as other desserts, and it is worth trying for those who are partial to such gelato and tiramisu.
“Tartufo” translates as “truffle”, and the dessert itself is ice cream in the form of a hemisphere with filling. The classic recipe involves a chocolate filling, but there are many other options to suit every taste.
Tartufo di pizzo (photo: cibodistrada.it) It’s been a while since we’ve had any delicious posts, so before I start a series of articles from frosty Finland, where we recently returned from, I’ll treat you to something sweet :)
In December we went for a ride. And if the main impression of the trip was undoubtedly the Dolomites, then in second place was the delicious cuisine!
In general, we have had friendly (to say the least) relations with Italian cuisine for a very long time, so Italian dishes deserve a separate article, but it’s almost impossible to try and not fall in love with Italian desserts!!
In this article I’ll tell you about 18 delicious desserts that we had the opportunity to try during the trip.
I hasten to please gourmets with a sweet tooth - in Italy there are much more than 18 of them; in Sicily alone you can try so many sweets that your taste buds will clearly be satisfied for several months to come.
But today we’re not talking about Sicilian delicacies, we haven’t gotten there yet, but I’m sure we’ll find time for this island in the future. So in this article I’ll talk about Italian desserts in general, and mainly about the preferences of the Alpine region.
Are you going to Italy? Then our selection is for you - read the article and you will know exactly what is definitely worth a try!
In general, the word dessert comes from the French “dessert”, and means the end of a meal with the obligatory receipt of special taste sensations. Moreover, this does not have to be a sweet dish, for example, I adore a cheese plate as a dessert, and what delicious cheeses are in Italy, mmm.. especially with mold.. and real Parmesan.. Lunch! But today there will be only sweet desserts in the photo!
I'll start with the most popular Italian dessert - Tiramisu, I don't believe that there are people with a sweet tooth who haven't tried it, it's something airy and tender!
The dessert is based on Italian savoiardi cookies soaked in coffee. But I fell in love with Tiramisu rather because it contains my favorite ingredient - cheese (mascarpone). This is neither a cake nor a pudding; in general, words cannot describe it. The dessert originated back in the 17th century, in Florence.
Translated from Italian, “tiramisu” means “raise me up,” probably due to the stimulating effect of the combination of coffee and chocolate, and in the alcoholic version this effect is also enhanced by brandy (we prefer the first option) 
The photo shows the tiramisu that we ate in Italy, and more recently we ate homemade tiramisu at our friends’ house, and read how Lesha and I prepared this dessert ourselves here:
(Panna cotta)
Panna Cotta is another famous Italian dessert! Like tiramisu, this dessert is prepared without baking. What I love about it is its lightness in every sense)) even after a heavy lunch or dinner, there is always room for panna cotta!
Classic panna cotta served with strawberries or strawberry jam. In general, there are a variety of variations of panna cotta - caramel, coffee, chocolate, mint, etc.
Essentially, it is boiled cream with gelatin; if there is a lot of gelatin, then the dessert holds its shape and is served in a plate. I prefer a less dense consistency, almost without gelatin, this option is very delicate and served in bowls or glasses 
Mint chocolate parfait “After Eight”
(Mint and Chocolate Parfait “After Eight”)
Initially, parfait is a French cuisine dish, which is prepared from cream, whipped with sugar and vanilla, and then frozen; in the American version, ice cream is also added to the cream.
Judging by the taste, the Italians used the American experience here; the dessert turned out to be creamy, but not heavy, and due to the mint it was very refreshing 
Buckwheat pie with cranberry marmalade
(Buckwheat pie with Cranberry Marmelade)
In Finland and Estonia, we tried mini-pancakes made from buckwheat flour, but we tried buckwheat pie for the first time here in Italy, and if we hadn’t been told what it was made of, I think we would hardly have guessed.
To taste - yes, it is definitely different from a pie made from regular flour, but how can you guess that it is made from buckwheat, if for us buckwheat is always just a side dish? In Italy, buckwheat flour is used for cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and other baked goods; the dish turns out to be dietary - just what those with a sweet tooth who are watching their figure need :) 
Caprese cake with vanilla sauce
(Caprese Cake on Vanilla Sause)
This cake comes from the small island of Capri, near Naples, and its main ingredients are almonds, chocolate and lemon zest. It may not be clear from the photo, but it has a hard crust and a slightly soft texture inside.
This cake had flour added, but in the original Caprese cake is prepared completely without it, its recipe, by the way, was born completely by accident, the cook simply forgot to add flour, this did not prevent the almond-chocolate dessert from tasting delicious 
Cake with ricotta and grapes
(Ricotta Cake with Grapes)
This amazing cake is a discovery dessert for me; I tried it for the first time on this trip. If we talk about cheese cakes, my favorite has always been cheesecake, but the cafe on the slope didn’t have it, but there was another cheese cake - with ricotta, along with a moderately soaked chocolate sponge cake, grapes and dark chocolate glaze, the combination is delicious , I recommend! 
Coffee mousse with amaretto
(Coffee Mousse with Amaretti)
Coffee mousse is not bad at all, especially considering the fact that it is poured with chocolate syrup and decorated with cream and meringues, and it contains amaretto as an aromatic additive.
But it’s surprising that if I love coffee very much, especially cappuccino and latte, then coffee desserts, be it mousse, coffee cake or chocolate with added beans, do not evoke so many emotions in me, out of all the variety of desserts, I will choose it last queue. Verdict – tasty, but not for me 
Apple strudel with cinnamon
(Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Sauce)
In general, apple strudel is a traditional Austrian dish, it even has a second name - Viennese strudel. Over time, many people fell in love with this warm dessert, so it can be found almost everywhere, and Italy is, of course, no exception.
The only thing that surprised me was why it is served here, although warm, but without ice cream, although I also definitely like the idea of decorating any dessert with whipped cream and fresh berries/fruits. Cinnamon is not only in the sauce, but also with apple and nuts inside the strudel 
The baked apple is also held in high esteem; in the lower right corner is just that, with cinnamon and strawberries. And also, just by the way, there is thick chocolate mousse in a transparent glass (I didn’t highlight it separately) 
carrot cake
(Carrot Cake Campiglio Style)
I love carrot cakes with marzipan frosting, but what we were served here, at least in the Trentino region, was more like a cupcake. If such a dessert is quite tasty with sauce and cream, then separately from them it is a bit dry.
Those who love cupcakes and simple pies will like the dessert, but if you are a connoisseur of carrot cakes, quite soaked, then it is better to choose another dessert 
Licorice parfait with berry sauce
(Liquorice Parfait with Red Fruit Sauce)
Here I was truly surprised - something, but I didn’t expect to see a dessert with licorice in Italy. It seems to me that licorice is in Europe like durian in Asia - they either adore it or hate it. I belong to the first category as with dope, lac and licorice :)
I found the greatest abundance of licorice products (mostly sweets) in Finland and Sweden.
The dessert exceeded all expectations, I liked it more than panna cotta and tiramisu combined, perhaps the reason for this is licorice, which I adore, although there was very little of it here. Lesha is not a big fan of licorice, also appreciated this dessert 
(Chocolate Cake)
Chocolate lovers will definitely love Italy; chocolate cake is one of the most common desserts in cafes. As a rule, this is a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate icing with a layer of caramel or chocolate)) 
Often it is also decorated with fruit, cream, syrup, nuts or ice cream 
Yogurt mousse with chocolate sauce
(Cream Yogurt Mousse with Chocolate Sause)
This yogurt dessert is a great option for the evening if you don't want to overeat - tender, chilled and very light. In general, once upon a time I was a fan of yogurt cakes, mousse is, of course, something different, but the taste is the same, it’s just some kind of nostalgia)) 
Chestnut pie with vanilla sauce
(Chestnuts Cake with Vanilla Sauce)
An unusual chestnut pie, why not try it :) I prefer “wet” pies, with a consistency similar to marzipan. I know that chestnut cakes are just like that, but again, it all depends on the pastry chef and the proportions of flour and chestnut paste/jam. If you like variety, it's definitely worth a try! 
Frozen mousse with caramelized hazelnuts
(Iced Mousse with Crunchy Hazelnuts)
An amazing dessert, very light and pleasant, something between mousse, yogurt and ice cream, and kind of different from parfait.
I’m not sure, but perhaps by freezing any mousse, you can get a dessert that is completely new in texture and flavor, and if you add cream, strawberries, a mint leaf and caramelized hazelnuts, the result will be delicious. 
(Gelato)
Oh yes, this is what makes it worth going to Italy!! Italian ice cream is simply divine! In Italy there are more than 30 varieties of local “gelato” - from pistachio and “mascorpone” to various sorbets from 
served both in cones and in bowls with fruits, nuts, chocolate chips and grated cookies, 
A multiple winner and winner of culinary and confectionery competitions, I tried ice cream from Dondoli in San Gimignano when, and I remember the ice cream in one of the oldest gelaterias, with a Venchi chocolate fountain wall, I recommend it!
In the photo below - delicious ice cream in Milan, strawberry-chocolate, with not yet hardened meringue and waffle, the place is called Cioccolat Italiani 
And finally, an unusual Italian dessert – fire, in every sense))
Fruits in brown sugar on fire
(Brown Sugar Flamed Creme Brule)
The unusualness of the dessert lies in the fact that the pastry chef prepared it right in the restaurant hall in front of us, so that we could not only see all the chef’s tricks, but also, if desired, remember all the ingredients and the step-by-step recipe itself :) 
It's true we were so mesmerized by the action, 
that we had no time to try to remember the recipe, and we are unlikely to repeat this in the kitchen)) 
However, if they had simply brought us this dessert, we would not have fully appreciated it, 
so such a presentation, in this case, only increased its value in our eyes =) 
Would you like to try this dessert?
Other desserts
Well, and of course, in addition to all sorts of cakes, mousses, pies and ice cream, cookies are held in high esteem in Italy! There are a wide variety of Italian cookies - with nuts, chocolate, raisins, crumbly and very dense, ginger, vanilla, etc., and if they are fresh, they are definitely very tasty!! 
Sometimes they brought us these mini-desserts 
The photo below is also a popular Italian crust with cookies on top, dusted with powder. I tried these cakes in different places, and each time it turned out that they looked tastier than they actually were... maybe that’s why I didn’t remember the name. If you happen to know, write in the comments 
Happy tea drinking! What desserts do you like? Share in the comments!
In Italy, whatever you take, everything is great.
Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael;
Rome, Venice, Florence;
Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, Sabayon.
And the one who thought “Well, you compared Raphael and some kind of tiramisu!” has simply never tried real Italian desserts.
In general, enough words. Get to the point!
Italian desserts: tiramisu
The name tiramisu is believed to come from the Italian phrase tirare mi su, “lift me up.” Whether this is true or not, tiramisu really lifts you up and brings you to bliss. The right to be called the birthplace of tiramisu is disputed by Siena (Tuscany), Treviso (Veneto) and Turin (Piedmont). Siena legend says that in the 17th century, Tuscan confectioners invented and dedicated a dessert to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo de' Medici, which they called Zuppa di Duca - "Count's soup." And that supposedly this dessert is the great-grandfather of tiramisu. But, as cuisine historians hint to us, all that remains from this dessert in tiramisu is the idea of soaking the sponge cake. Which is also a lot, because impregnation is one of the foundations of this Italian dessert.
In order for a dessert to have the right to be called tiramisu, it must satisfy several conditions at once:
1. Tiramisu is a cold dessert; no need to bake it. It alternates biscuit cookies and delicate airy cream. The dessert should be very soft and moist.
2. In the “foundation” there is certainly Savoiardi. Soft biscuit cookies of oblong shape.
3. Biscuits should be well soaked in coffee.
4. Coffee should be of high quality, strong and unsweetened. Naturally, in no case soluble. The ideal option is espresso. No coffee machine means brewed in a geyser coffee maker or French press. At worst - in the cezve.
5. The base of the cream is mascarpone.
Let’s immediately say: mascarpone is not a cheese, as many people think, but a fresh, soft one. 
butter cream, which is prepared from cream with 40-45% fat content. Rennet is not involved in its preparation, and therefore mascarpone does not fall into the “cheese” category.
6. Among the ingredients there must certainly be fresh eggs and sugar, but cream and alcohol (most often Marsala) are secondary ingredients. They are not present in the canonical versions.
7. Classic and chocolate tiramisu are sprinkled with cocoa powder. Strawberry and lemon - powdered sugar.
Here, in general, is the main theory. Now more specifically:
Classic tiramisu recipe
Ingredients:
4 yolks
3 squirrels
500 g mascarpone
450 g coffee (ideally espresso)
300 g savoiardi
100 g sugar
20 g cocoa powder
Preparation:
Brew strong unsweetened coffee and leave it to cool. You can add a couple of tablespoons of Marsala to your coffee, or you can do without alcohol.
Beat the egg whites and half the sugar into a strong foam. To make the foam more stable: a) the whites must be at room temperature; b) you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to add sugar; c) it is better to take fine sugar, or even better - powdered sugar.
Beat the yolks until white with the second half of the sugar. By the way, it’s better to beat them cold. Add mascarpone to the yolks, mix and beat. Cream is often added at this stage, but to be honest it's a little unnecessary.
Add the whites into the mixture of mascarpone and yolks and mix gently - using movements from bottom to top.
Quickly dip each Savoiardi cookie on both sides in coffee and place in a thick layer in a tiramisu pan. Place half of the cream on top. Another layer of soaked cookies and another layer of cream. Keep in mind: the cream should be dense, the Savoiardi should lie on it, and not swim in it. Gently smooth out the top cream layer and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Send all this beauty to the refrigerator for 4 hours and it’s better to take everyone out of the house for this time - let them not walk around or lick their lips.
As practice shows, it is almost impossible to buy ready-made savoiardi in our latitudes. Therefore, it makes sense to bake them yourself. The basic recipe is:
Savoiardi recipe
Ingredients:
100 g sugar
90 g flour
3 eggs
powdered sugar
a pinch of salt
Beat cold yolks with 2/3 sugar. Gradually add flour and a pinch of salt. Beat the whites to soft peaks and mix very carefully with the yolks. Either put this mass into special savoiardi molds, or put it in a pastry bag and squeeze out sticks 10 centimeters long onto a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Then sprinkle with powder again and place in the oven until the savoiardi becomes its characteristic beige color. Cool in open oven.
Tip: if the flour is not of very high quality and the dough is blurry, try adding 1.5 tbsp. l. starch.
On the one hand, tiramisu is an absolutely self-sufficient dessert, and is good without any additions. On the other hand, juicy, fragrant strawberries just beg to be paired with its soft, delicate cream.
Please note: this recipe does not contain coffee or cocoa, but does contain citrus-cognac liqueur.
Tiramisu recipe with strawberries
Ingredients:
260 g savoiardi
500 g mascarpone
400 g strawberries
90 g sugar
4 fresh chicken eggs
30 g Gran Marnier
Preparation:
Place 350g strawberries in a blender bowl, add 45g sugar and Gran Marnier and blend.
Prepare the egg and mascrapone cream as described in the previous recipe.
Grease the tiramisu mold with about 1/5 of the cream. Quickly dip the savoiardi (half of the cookies you have) in the strawberry juice and liqueur, on both sides, and spread in a thick layer on top of the cream. Sprinkle strawberry juice on top, add another 2/5 of the cream. Repeat layers again.
Cut the remaining strawberries into slices lengthwise and decorate the dessert with them.
Place the tiramisu in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
The name of another great Italian dessert, “panna cota,” may sound like an appeal to an unmarried girl (“panna” means young lady). But translated from Italian, “panna cat” means “boiled cream.” But even such an unassuming name did not prevent this dessert from becoming one of the most famous and beloved in the world.
Panna Cota is based on sugar, cream and milk. It is important that dairy products are very fresh and high in fat. Depending on how much gelatin is added to the sweet milk mass, the dessert is either placed on a plate (if it keeps its shape perfectly) or served in a bowl (if it is less dense). Panna cotta is often served with various berries, fruit, caramel and chocolate sauces. But in its classic form it is also infinitely good.
Italian desserts: Panna Cota
Ingredients (5 servings):
400 ml fresh cream (30-36% fat)
125 ml milk
150 g sugar
6 g leaf gelatin
Preparation:
Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water.
Pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan with a thick bottom, add sugar. You can add a little vanilla. Over low heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. As soon as it boils, turn it off, squeeze the water out of the gelatin and add it to the mixture. Stir thoroughly.
Pour the resulting mixture into molds and place in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
To remove the panna cotta from the ramekins, immerse the bottom of the ramekins in boiling water for a few seconds, then invert the ramekins onto a plate.
You can serve dessert with sauce of your choice.
Caramel sauce
The simplest, most basic option:
Mix 50 g sugar and 3 tbsp. l. water, bring to a boil, stirring. Pour into the bottom of the molds and let set. Pour the panna cotta over the caramel. When you turn the pans over, the caramel will be on top.
You can make the sauce more liquid and pour over the panna cotta already in the plate.
Berry sauce
Take any berries (raspberries, currants, blueberries) and grind them in a blender with sugar. Pour this sauce over the panna cotta.
By the way, about berries. You can also make a beautiful version of two-color panna cotta with berries. It will look very impressive in transparent glasses.
Recipe for two-color panna cat with berries
Ingredients (for 2 servings):
250 ml cream (fat content 33-36%)
60 ml milk (6% fat)
70 g sugar
6 g leaf gelatin
½ vanilla pod (1 cup vanilla sugar)
150 g berries (currants, raspberries, blueberries) 
+ a handful of berries for decoration and layering
Preparation:
Divide the cream, milk, sugar and gelatin into two equal parts. Pour half the gelatin with cold water. Place one in the refrigerator temporarily; you will need it a little later.
Pour milk and cream into a saucepan, add sugar. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Squeeze out the gelatin and, as soon as the milk mixture boils, add it to the saucepan and stir very well. Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool slightly, add vanilla, stir. Pour the mixture into glasses, filling them about halfway.
Place the panna cotta in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. When it hardens and becomes dense enough, place some whole berries on it and proceed to the second part.
Leave the remaining gelatin to swell.
Blend the berries with sugar, pour into a saucepan and place on low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, turn off the heat, and cool.
In another saucepan, prepare the milk mixture with gelatin as described above. Add the berry mass to it, stir, cool slightly.
Place the berry cream in the molds and top with whole berries.
If the first layer has not hardened well, or the berry mass has not yet cooled, the “colored part” may seep through the white one or even cause it to melt. Therefore, don’t rush.
Hide the molds in the refrigerator until the dessert completely hardens. Decorate with whole berries, powdered sugar, and small mint leaves.
Italian desserts: Sabione
This sweet wine and egg cream is a staple of Italian pastry making. The most famous of all Italian not only creams, but also desserts in general. Many cakes and pastries have been created based on it, and it is even sometimes added to tiramisu; but it is best on its own - in a cold glass, garnished with figs (a traditional addition), berries or flowers. Marsala, a strong Sicilian wine similar to Madeira, or Moscato d'Asti, a sparkling white wine originally from Asti, are most often added to sabayon.
The composition of this light custard is very simple. But you need to be careful when preparing.
Sabayon recipe
Ingredients:
4 yolks
120 g sugar
100 ml Moscato di Asti (Marsala, Sherry, Porto, Madera)
Preparation:
Beforehand, place a saucepan of water on medium heat for a water bath. Beat the cold yolks well with the sugar until they turn white and foam. Little by little, carefully so that the foam does not disintegrate, add wine.
Place the container with the yolks in a water bath and cook, whisking constantly. Attention! The cream should not boil! (The water underneath it, too, by the way.) As soon as it starts to thicken, remove from heat. Make sure that the structure of the cream is uniform.
Pour saba yon into glasses or molds, garnish with berries or flower petals (those flowers that are considered “edible”: violets, pansies, nasturtium, calendula, tea rose). It is served both hot and cold.
In the summer, it is good to serve sabayon with apples. Mix it with whipped cream, pour the resulting cream over apple slices and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Apple slices can be lightly fried, then placed in a fireproof dish, filled with cream and lightly baked until browned (5-7 minutes). Ideally, under the grill (a couple of minutes).
Well, are you inspired? Now imagine how many real confectionery masterpieces are born on the basis of these “three pillars”! If you want, choose from what has already been invented, or if you want, invent something of your own; Italian desserts give a lot of room for imagination. In any case, it will be easy and sweet. This is Dolce Vita - the sweet life in Italian.
When traveling around Italy, you should definitely see the sights, of which there are a great many. But that's not all.
Gourmet paradise
We need to be honest with ourselves: food plays an important role in every person’s life. And even if you have already tried the famous Italian pasta and pizza, there should have been room for dessert. The following 20 Italian delicacies will leave no one indifferent.
Top 20 Italian desserts
1. Struffoli. Dough balls, deliciously crispy on the outside thanks to frying, and airy on the inside, are covered with honey, cinnamon and colorful sprinkles.
2. Cannoli. This is a Sicilian traditional dessert, which consists of wafer rolls filled with ricotta. Various syrups, marsala or rose water are added to it. 
3. Granita. This is something between ice cream, sorbet and Italian ice. Sometimes lemon juice, tangerines, oranges, mint or berries are added to it. 
4. Truffle. It is made from ice cream with liquid chocolate or fruit filling. Usually contains 2 types of ice cream, which are mixed by hand. 
5. Tiramisu. Is there anything that sauvaiardie coffee biscuits, mascarpone cheese and chocolate can't fix? 
6. Pizzelli. These crispy cookies are made from waffle dough. While it is still warm, you can roll it into a tube and then fill it with cream. 
7. Candied chestnuts. Chestnuts coated in sugar syrup and glaze can be used as an ingredient in other desserts or eaten as is. 
8. Sfogliatella. This puff pastry pastry can be filled with a variety of creams. In any case, there is no doubt: it is very tasty! 
9. Crostata. This pie is filled with fruit or ricotta. 
10. Biscotto. These biscuits are often eaten dipped in coffee or tea. 
11. Neapolitan ice cream. Named after Naples, the ice cream consists of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. 
12. Sabayon. A mixture of egg yolks, wine and sugar is often served on holidays. 
13. Panforte. This dessert is served with coffee or wine after a meal. There are many options for panforte with nuts, fruits and spices. 
14. Panna cotta. A delicacy made from cream, sugar and vanilla. 
15. Bruttiboni. The cookies are made from meringue and chopped roasted nuts. 
16. “Angel Wings.” Deep-fried strips of dough are often sprinkled with orange zest. 
17. Gelato. This dessert is healthier and not as fatty as regular ice cream, which is why it is popular all over the world. 
18. Bombolonas. Filled donuts are also known as calorie bombs. They can be filled with chocolate, custard and jam. 
19. Marzipan fruit. If you are in Italy, you will definitely see this dessert. Don't forget to try! 
20. Cassata. Miniature biscuits covered with marzipan or candied liqueur. 
Conclusion
Italy is a magical country. Everyone who was here will never forget the indescribable atmosphere and, of course, the wonderful cuisine. See for yourself!
