Desserts
Hazelnut sponge cake with raspberries and fresh cream
A deliciously light fluffy sponge with a subtle nutty flavour!
Bianco mangiare (a traditional blancmange)
This dessert has clear Arab origins and is traditional in Sicily, Sardinia and the Val d'Aosta. It is generally made with cow's milk but in the Sicilian county of Modica it is made with almond milk.
Pizza ebraica – Jewish sweet “pizza”
This delectable item is not pizza at all, but an eggless, unleavened pastry crammed full of whole almonds and candied fruit and cooked until it looks rather burnt but is in fact absolutely perfect, with the nuts crunchy and fruits bursting with flavour.
Ricciarelli – Sienese almond biscuits
For many, along with the spice-dense panforte, the light, sophisticated ricciarello is the true Tuscan Christmas treat. They used to be made in convents and apothecary shops, the only places where the right spices and storage conditions would be found.
Vegan chocolate cake
A vegan delight!
Carnival Sponge Cake
Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a fluffy, delicately scented Mardi Gras cake. It is one of the dairy-free desserts that we make during our cooking courses in Italy.
Serenella’s Amazing Chocolate Cake
Serenella is one of our lovely instructors at our cooking school in Italy. This moist, rich cake is addictive!
Bonet ~ Caramel, coffee and amaretto dessert
The Bonet (perhaps the name comes from a word for "hat"?) is a traditional dessert from the Piedmont area. There are records of this dish which date back to the noble banquets of the 13th century. Enjoy!
Moist Apple Cake
Manuela’s mother has offered lots of inspiration and recipes for our cooking classes in Tuscany. This is one of her recipes, now handed down to her children and grandchildren. Thanks Licia!
Orange and chocolate cake
This is a typical Sephardic Passover cake, which has various versions, made throughout the Mediterranean.
Fruit Bavaroise
This is a great summer dessert which is light, fruity, fresh and refreshing!
Ricotta cheesecake
We have met some true cheesecake connoisseurs at our cooking school in Italy, but many say that this has become their favourite baked cheesecake recipe!
Fruit and Custard Tart
This is a tart to rival a patisserie bought one. In our cooking courses in Italy we show you just how the pastry should be rolled out: quickly, gently but firmly. It takes some practice, but is well worth mastering. Delicious with soft fruit such as raspberries.
Tuscan Grape Harvest Cake
In Tuscany, this complex-flavoured but simple to make cake is only made for a few weeks a year, when the small, sweet, seedy red grapes are around (many are “gleaned” in the vineyards after the harvest). Use the sweetest red grapes you can.
Budino ~ Italian Crème Caramel
Traditionally a "budino" is made in a large mould, not little individual moulds. It makes for a more spectacular sight when it it served, but be careful when you turn it upside down to serve!
Custard Pie with Pine Nuts & Almonds
In this traditional Tuscan dessert the combination of rich pastry, delicate custard and toasted nuts makes for a special treat indeed.
Tiramisù
Tiramisu (literally “Pick me up”) seems to have been around for generations, but is in fact a creation from the 1970s! The version that we teach at our cooking school in Tuscany uses custard.
Panna Cotta
The secret to a good panna cotta is achieving something that sets, but is still wonderfully creamy. Experiment with agar- agar quantities since they do vary!
Apple Tart with Frangipane Layer
Moist, deliciously simple tart.
Cantuccini
These are the classic “biscotti” as they are often known in the US (in Italian, this just means any “cookies”). Using the finest flour available results in the most mouthwatering morsels.
Pear and Fig Tart
You can make this tart with pretty much any fruit, but the combination of figs and pears is divine! During our cooking classes in Tuscany, we use ripe figs from the trees at the top of the hill.
Dairy-free carrot cake
Hardly a dieter’s cake - the 5 eggs probably make up for any points you gain by not having dairy, but light nonetheless.
Zuppa inglese
This dessert often gets translated as “trifle”. It is a layered dessert like trifle, but is as far as one can get from the jelly and sherry of British offerings.