If there’s one thing Italy is known for, it’s the food. Pizza, pasta and a multitude of other traditional Italian foods immediately come to mind. But we’d be remiss if we did not discuss everyone’s favorite parts of any meal — dessert.
Dessert in Italy is different from dessert in other parts of the world. Italian sweets, or dolci, are usually much smaller. Just a few bites of sweetness is the perfect ending to any meal. So sit back, relax, and bring your appetite (and your stretchy pants) because we’re about to dig in. Here are 5 of the most traditional, and delicious, treats in Italy.
1. Tiramisù
Among the most popular and appreciated desserts all over Italy, and the rest of the world, it has a unique and characteristic name: tiramisù. The symbol of Italian pastry, with origins from Veneto, is a delicious restorative made of egg yolk, sugar, and coffee, and with possible aphrodisiac qualities.
2. Sbrisolona (Lombardy)
The funny name of this simple yet irresistible cake means ‘crumbly’ and refers to its extreme flakiness. Originally from Mantua, the town once ruled by the Gonzaga family in the seventeenth century, it was a humble recipe made of common local ingredients: corn flour, coarsely chopped hazelnuts and lard. Today, it’s usually made with a mix of corn and white flour, almonds and a generous amount of butter. It’s then enriched with sugar, eggs and lemon zest – resulting in its iconic uneven texture.
3. Apple Strudel
Traditional apple strudel may be the furthest thing from your mind when you think of Italian desserts, but in this vast northern region of Italy where the craggy peaks of the Dolomites tower over green mountain meadows and hearty fare like dumplings reign supreme on every menu, apfelstrudel is one of South Tyrol’s most beloved foods and one of the most traditional Italian desserts you’ll find. With the abundance of apples throughout the year, it’s no wonder strudel and other baked goods like dumplings and tortes are enjoyed. If you like good old American apple pie, the strudel you’ll find in Trentino-Alto Adige will rival the best you’ve ever had!
4. Cannoli Siciliani
A real celebrity among the most renowned specialties of Italian regional pastry and Sicilian cuisine is cannoli. These desserts are not only the most appreciated and popular traditional Sicilian dessert in Italy, but also all over the world. They are crispy waffles of fried pasta, called scorcia, shaped like a tube, filled with soft cream of fresh sheep ricotta cheese. The final decoration in addition to powdered sugar, varies, you can find pieces of candied fruit or dried, such as pistachio, or chocolate drops.
5. Torta Barozzi (Emilia-Romagna)
This lavish ‘black cake’ (as it was originally called before being officially named after the famous local architect Jacopo Barozzi in 1907) is made of almonds, peanuts, coffee and dark chocolate. It was created in the small village of Vignola, near Modena, at the end of the nineteenth century by the talented pastry chef Eugenio Gollini. His namesake uncle, the owner of the Gollini bakery (which still exists in Vignola today) trademarked its name and decided to keep the recipe secret, turning the dish into a legend and helping it become one of the region’s most famous culinary creations.
