Italian desserts to try at home: a delightful list to impress guests

Italy’s food treasures are not only about savory dishes like pizza and pasta! Italian dessert pastries are like little bites of heaven. They come in all varieties: starting from light, flaky pastries to ranging across those rich, indulgent delicacies that just melt in your mouth and leave you satisfied.

Magic is bound to happen when you bake these famous Italian desserts at home. Your kitchen will fill up with the warm aroma that brings a bit of Italy right into your home. It’s like inviting a piece of old-world charm to sit at your table. And don’t worry if you’re not a master baker; these treats are so lovely that even a beginner can whip them up with a little love.

Cannoli

Imagine a crunchy tube that is actually pastry and is fried until it's crispy. That's the outside part. On the inside, you will find a sweet, creamy filling, usually made from ricotta cheese, with a taste profile similar to cream cheese.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm flour
• 50 gm sugar
• 20 gm butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 100 ml Marsala wine
• 250 gm ricotta cheese
• 100 gm powdered sugar
• 50 gm chocolate chips
• 10 gm candied orange pee

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 200°C.
• Now, grab a mixing bowl and combine the flour, sugar, and the butter.
• Gradually add in the eggs and a splash of vinegar to the dry mix. Mix it well until you get a dough.
• Knead that dough for about 10 minutes. You want it to be nice and smooth.
• Once that’s done, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. This helps it settle.
• After the dough has rested, roll it out to about 5 mm thick.
• Now, it’s time to get creative! Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles in the dough.
• Heat up some oil and fry those circles until they’re golden brown.
• Don’t forget this important step: drain the shells on paper towels so they don’t get soggy.
• For the filling, mix ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder together until it’s smooth and creamy.
• Add in some chocolate chips for that extra deliciousness.
• Now, fill those crispy shells with your sweet ricotta mixture.
• Before you serve, dust a little confectioners' sugar on top. For a gourmet touch, slice up some strawberries and place them carefully on the cannoli. Enjoy!

Tip: Use a piping bag to fill the shells easily without breaking them.

Tiramisu Cups

Tiramisu cups are fun, creative and classy. They are perfect for sharing or simply keeping all to yourself! These little tiramisu cups are filled with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a rich, creamy mascarpone mixture that melts in your mouth. They are beautiful and a sure hit in parties.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm ladyfingers
• 250 gm mascarpone cheese
• 100 gm powdered sugar
• 100 ml strong coffee
• 50 ml coffee liqueur
• 200 ml heavy cream
• Cadbury cocoa powder for dusting

Method:

• Brew the coffee and mix it with the coffee liqueur. Allow it to cool down.
• In a bowl, whip mascarpone, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
• Dip ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and layer them in cups or small glasses. Alternate layers with the mascarpone cream.
• Repeat the layers until the cups are full. You can dust with cocoa powder before serving.
• Tip: Let the tiramisu chill for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Sfogliatelle

The fun part of the sfogliatelle lies in their flaky, crispy layers. Think of sfogliatelle to be a crunchy croissant but with a delicious twist! You can find them in Italian bakeries, but making them at home is a fun adventure.

Ingredients:

• 300 gm flour
• 100 ml water
• 50 gm lard or butter
• 250 gm ricotta cheese
• 50 gm semolina
• 100 gm sugar
• 10 ml vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk

Method:

• Combine the flour and water. Knead to make a dough. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.
• Roll it out thinly and brush with lard or butter. Roll the dough into a log and chill for an hour.
• Cook semolina in water until it thickens. Let it cool, then mix with ricotta, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolk.
• Slice the dough log into round shapes and shape each round into a cone. Fill with the ricotta mixture.
• Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes until it is golden and crispy.

Tip: Brush the pastry with extra butter before baking to enhance the flakiness.

Biscotti

A biscotti is twice baked. They are crunchy and perfect to have your coffee with. You can modify them to suit your liking—consider flavoring them with almonds, chocolate or other dry fruits.

Ingredients:

• 250 gm flour
• 150 gm sugar
• 100 gm almonds
• 2 eggs
• 5 gm baking powder
• 2 gm salt
• 5 gm vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract to form a dough. Fold in almonds. Chop the almonds or thinly slice them.
• Shape the dough into logs and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice into cookies, and bake again for 10 minutes until it is golden and crunchy.

Tip: Store biscotti in an airtight container to keep their crunch intact.