6 Italian-Inspired Desserts

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts

Theres nothing quite like the romance of a homemade Italian dessert. Whether youre making panettone during Christmas or tiramisu for an after-dinner delight, Italian dessert recipes are sweet and meaningful. For many of us who grew up in an Italian household with Nonna or came to understand the Italian food culture later on, the desserts are entirely nostalgic, too. From cookies to cakes to cream puffs, here are Italian-inspired desserts that are sure to make you and your dinner party guests swoon. All you need is some Italian music on the record player and a cappuccino with hot foamed milk.

Italian Cherry Bocconotti Calabresi

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog These Bocconotti treats, meaning small bites in italian,hail from the town of Mormanno in Calabria thats famous for its sweet delicacies. These bites tend to be filled with grape jam or cherry preserves and are somewhat reminiscent of a jam-filled muffin. In this recipe for Italian Cherry Bocconotti Calabresi, the dough itself is made with ingredients like Unbleached White Fine Pastry Flour, sugar, butter, egg, almond extract and grated orange zest (plus the preserves). Top it all with an egg wash of egg, heavy cream and powdered sugar, and you have an Italian dessert fit for any festive gathering. If you love bocconotti like we do, you can also try these Italian Bocconotti Cookies from Marisas Italian Kitchen. These have scalloped buttery edges and the traditional pocket of jam on the inside. Marisas are made with fig jam, which is perfect for autumn (whether youre making the jam homemade or buying it from your local grocery store).

Dreamy Gluten Free Cream Puffs Recipes

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog There are fewer desserts on Earth more decadent than a beautifully constructed cream puff. In Italy, these whimsical puffs are referred to as "Bocconcini con Crema" (little mouthfuls of pastry with cream). Although cream puffs might at first seem like a tough dessert to master, theyre actually pretty simple. This Dreamy Gluten Free Cream Puffs Recipe comes from Fearless Dining and offers a gluten free alternative to an Italian delicacy. Its made with just five ingredients (water, butter, gluten free flour, eggs, whipped cream and powdered sugar) and can be prepped in only 15 minutes. If gluten isnt an issue, these Churro Cream Puffs seal the deal for dessert, too. Theyre filled with cinnamon whipped cream and are covered in cinnamon and sugar. As an added (or dangerous) bonus, theyre an easy Italian dessert to throw together, and with their sweet and fluffy texture, guests will love them.

Magically Moist Almond Cake, a.k.a Amazing Almond Cake

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog This Magically Moist Almond Cake (a.k.a Amazing Almond Cake) shows just how deliciously beautiful almond cake can truly be. Traditional almond cake is a staple in Italian cake recipes, but this cake takes the idea of an almond-flavored cake and gives it a whole new twist. Ingredients include butter, sugar, eggs, milk, Almond Flour and Organic Coconut Flour. The mix of almond and vanilla extracts adds a subtle flavor that packs a punch when combined with sea salt and layered frosting. Make this cake for a special gathering and pair it with hot espresso after your dinner. For the almond enthusiast, this recipe for gluten free Italian Almond Pear Cake is a fun one to try, too. Zesty Olive uses our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, grinds the almonds and peels, cores and cuts the pears to create this Italian masterpiece. Set this out on the table before your guests arrive and watch them ooh and aahh when they see it (and taste it).

Cannoli Cookies

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog Traditional cannoli are Italian pastries from the island of Sicily. They tend to be fried and filled with some sort of creamand can often be found at Italian restaurants or bakeries. In this recipe for Cannoli Cookies, Amanda from A Cookie Named Desire takes the idea of classic cannoli and makes it her own. She uses Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour, butter, ricotta, sugar, egg and chocolate chips, plus orange zest and vanilla for a bit of extra flavor. You can also add cannoli shell crumbs if youd like, though thats optional. When it comes to Italian cookie recipes, one thing we love about these cookies in particular is the fillingbright, vibrant and perfect for an after-dinner treat. Its a magic mix of ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, lemon juice and mini chocolate chips. The end result, as you can imagine, is one of decadent indulgence. For a more classic cannoli feel, try this recipe for Gluten Free Cannoli from Gluten Free on a Shoestring. As Nicole mentions, you do need cannoli forms, which can easily be found at a kitchen supply store. These are a labor of love, but the end result is soft and flaky. It incorporates Bobs Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour and a creamy filling of mascarpone cheese. We will admit, leftover cannoli make a delightful breakfast with your morning coffee or tea (so youd better make a double batch).

Hazelnut Tiramisu Cake

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog After an Italian feast, theres nothing quite like a square-shaped slice of delicious Italian Tiramisu. Though there are many variations of this famous treat, tiramisu is typically made with ladyfingers that have been dipped in coffee before being layered with a mix of mascarpone cheese, sugar, eggs and cocoa. If youre a fan of hazelnut coffee creamer in your morning cup of joe, consider this recipe for Hazelnut Tiramisu Cake from AVL Foodie. She uses our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour mixed with hazelnut flour to give her cake unique flair. Her frosting of vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, coconut cream and powdered sugar makes this dessert easy to eat guilt-free. The flavors of the coffee and hazelnut blend perfectly and make this dessert one that wont last too long in the presence of eager eaters! Another option for a tiramisu-inspired treat are these Healthy (Vegan) Tiramisu Protein Pancakes from A Little Rosemary and Time. If youre looking for tiramisu in breakfast form, this is it! We highly suggest the additional toppings of strawberries and chocolate syrup, too.

Mini Panettone

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog Panettone is an Italian sweet bread from Milan that is usually eaten during Christmas and the New Year. Ingredients tend to be some mixture of lemon juice, orange zest, orange flavored liqueur, raisins, butter, sugar, flour and eggs. The end result is soft and airy and perfect to hand out as holiday hostess gifts. In this recipe for Mini Panettone, Ambujom of Zesty South Indian Kitchen gives traditional panettone a tiny twist. She soaks her raisins in rum for a bit of extra flavor and also integrates candied fruit and Fiori di Sicilia, an Italian extract of vanilla, citrus and floral essences (which just so happens to smell as romantic as it sounds). For a bigger panettone to share with family and friends, you can also give this Panettone recipe a try from the brilliant bakers behind Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads in Five Minutes a Day. As youll see, this one calls for a mix of dried fruit like golden raisins, dried pineapple, dried apricots, dried cherries and candied citrus. Add whatever flavors you love to this delectable Italian dessert and make it your own. Or if its chocolate youre after, make this Chocolate and Orange Panettone from our own Chef Billy Parisi. He combines our all purpose flour with whole milk, water, sugar, eggs, vanilla and orange zest to create the type of panettone that Italian dreams are made of.

Other Italian Desserts

6 Italian-Inspired Desserts | Bob's Red Mill Blog When it comes to Italian recipes for dessert, there are so many out there! From classics like gelato to limoncello cream pie, we encourage you to throw on that apron, crack open your favorite Italian cookbook and enjoy the simple romance and sweet smells of baking. Here are some other Italian desserts to check out.
  • Gelato
  • Panna cotta
  • Struffoli
  • Bombolini
  • Fruit tart
  • Biscotti
  • Brutti ma buoni
  • Panzanella
  • Torrone
  • Affogato
  • Limoncello cream pie
  • Snowballs
  • Italian cream cake
  • Italian honey clusters
  • Torte della nonna
  • Granita
  • Cartellata
  • Zabaglione
  • Semifreddo
Do you have a favorite Italian dessert recipes youd like to create? Maybe a cookie or a cake thats been passed down for generations? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below. We look forward to hearing how you put your own special twist on the Italian classics. From all of us at Bobs Red Mill, thanks for reading and happy baking!  
Bob's Red Mill
May 20 2019

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