These 8 irresistible Italian desserts will satisfy that sweet tooth

By Lesego Madisa, 4 August 2023

From classics like tiramisu and panna cotta to regional favourites like torta Caprese and cannoli, when it comes to Italian desserts simple and decadent is the name of the game. If you have a sweet tooth, scroll down below to find your new favourite dessert.

1. Zabaglione

A traditional Italian custard that requires just 3 ingredients: egg yolks, sugar and Marsala. It’s great served with amaretti biscuits or fresh seasonal fruit.

Get the zabaglione here. 

2. Panna cotta

A rich and creamy dessert that belongs on any restaurant menu. You’ll know it’s ready when you get the infamous jiggle this dessert is known for.

Get the recipe for chocolate panna cotta with verjuice-poached prunes here. 

3. Tiramisu

This is perhaps the most famous Italian dessert with good reason. Who can resist layers of coffee-soaked finger biscuits, mascarpone and chocolate?

Get the recipe for chocolate tiramisu here. 

4. Crostata

This is Italy’s answer to lemon tart. It’s tangy and tart and showcases what the Amalfi coast is best known for – lemons! This is the perfect after-dinner dessert, light and hard to resist.

Get the recipe for lemon crostata here. 

5. Cannoli

A classic Sicilian dessert with a flaky shell that’s filled with ricotta. We’ve gone for a chocolate-and-pistachio filling, but have fun using your favourites such as dark chocolate and hazelnuts.

Get the recipe for white chocolate-and-pistachio cannoli here.

6. Bomboloni

These light and fluffy Italian doughnuts are great to make with the kids. They’ll have fun watching the dough rise and rolling the fried droughts in sugar before filling them with custard.

Strawberry custard bomboloni doughnuts

Get the recipe for strawberry custard bomboloni doughnuts here.

7. Torta Caprese

Gluten- and wheat-free dessert lovers, this one's for you! This almond cake is traditionally made with dark chocolate, but our lemon version is lighter, perfect with a cup of tea.

Introducing the OG gluten-free cake! Torta Caprese al limone – or almond-lemon cake – is the easiest (and most delicious!) cake you’ll make this year. We used white chocolate instead of dark, and added sticky roasted strawberries to seal the deal.

Get the recipe for torta Caprese al limone here.

8. Amaretti

You need just 6 ingredients to make these classic Italian almond biscuits. If you have a few egg whites leftover, this is the perfect way to use them.

Get the recipe for handmade amaretti biscuits here. 

Lesego Madisa

Article by Lesego Madisa

TASTE's commercial content producer loves thrifty recipes, fridge foraging and never says "no" to cake. When she's not flipping through the pages of food mags and cookbooks, she's happily baking and knitting in her tiny apartment.
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