The Sweeter Side of Italian Cooking

Struffoli

A sticky-sweet finger food, struffoli is made by deep frying balls of dough (usually infused with citrus flavors) to a crisp, golden brown. In classic Neapolitan style, the bite-sized balls are arranged in the shape of a wreath or piled high, resembling a Christmas tree, then drizzled with warm honey. The final touch: a generous sprinkling of nonpareils, a colorful confectionery candy.

Torrone

With a base of egg whites, sugar and honey, torrone makes an appearance on many a holiday dessert table. Often flavored with orange and lemon zest, this traditional Italian nougat is nutty and sweet. Packed with toasted almonds, hazelnuts or pistachios, there are two types of torrone textures: soft and chewy or a crunchy, nut-brittle style.

Panforte

Dating back to the Middle Ages, panforte—also known as Siena Cake as it hails from the Siena region of Tuscany—is a dense, nutty fruitcake with a strong spice profile. For a truly authentic version, use candied citron (a thick-rinded citrus fruit, similar to a lemon, with strong aromatics), unsweetened cocoa powder, honey and, yes!, black pepper. Finely chopped dried figs are also a common ingredient. A characteristic white-winter dusting of confectioner's sugar completes the decadent dessert.

Panettone

Because of its crusty bread-like exterior, this cylindrical-shaped dessert is more a sweet bread than a cake. The rich, spongy interior is traditionally studded with candied fruit peels and raisins. Some variations add nuts. A recently more popularized version—drunken panettone—adds a soaking of cognac, rum, Amaretto or a sweet Italian dessert wine. Is it dolce or digestivo?

Originally from Milan, panettone is now ubiquitous countrywide and an essential addition to any Italian holiday.