The finale for an Italian family meal is usually fruit or cheese with caffé shared while lingering around the table in the pleasure of each others company, but various mouth-watering desserts are prepared for special occasions.

The famous dessert cake of Italy common for birthdays and celebrations is the ‘Zuppa Inglese’.  Literally translated, the name means “English soup” it is thought to have acquired the unusual name by the association of English sailors and their issue of rum.

This white cake decorated with sweet cream and a garnish of fresh strawberries will become a family favorite from the first bite.

More well known as ‘cream puffs’ the St. Joseph’s Day pastries were created by Italian pastry chefs to commemorate the day, March 16 named for the beloved patron saint of home and family.  Traditionally the pastries are served plain but can also be topped with a rich, liqueur flavored chocolate sauce. Read more…

Where do we start? There are so many great Italian dessert recipes and finding an authentic dessert recipe has been made much easier with the advent of the internet and people like Mamma sharing her trade secrets with her readers. When adding some of these recipes to Mamma’s website, we never realized how many dessert recipes she has stored in her memory. We have added a few and we are hoping to add many more….Mangiare and please share this site with your loved ones.

Italian Easter Dessert Recipes
Pane di Pasqua is a sweet Easter Bread and with Easter just around the corner we are delighted to highlight this recipe again. It is a bread and also a dessert.

Mustazzoli – Honey Bread

Italian Cookie Recipes

Biscotti Recipes – Crunchy

Keenoweele – Turnovers

Boconotti – Jam filled

Scawaylay – Pastry

Donuts – I know matto, matto what are donuts doing on an Italian Recipe site…Mamma’s friends have been asking for it so she obliged.

These tasty treats are called Scawaylay and are worth the effort. You  will not find these Italian pastries in any North American Pastry shops or Bakeries so make the effort to perfect them.

Ingredients

4 eggs
4 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder

Flour – enough to make a pie dough consistency.

Instructions

In a mixing bowl add eggs, olive oil, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder and blend together.  Slowly add flour until the consistency is same as pie dough.

Roll pastry with rolling pin until thin. Cut the pastry in strips and then twist.  Deep fry, let cool and coat with honey.  You may find it beneficial to have several plates to move your pastries to during each stage. Let stand and sprinkle with sugar…Mangiare!!

Ingredients:

5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 package Bertolini Lievito Vaniglinato (16 g)
4 cups flour
jam of choice

Cook at 500 deg F for 4-5 minutes. Keep close watch and remove when they are golden brown. These are Italian cookies Mamma style, Mangiare.

These Italian cookies are typically made at Christmas time and are filled with your favorite jams.

This recipe makes approximately 24 cookies.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup  (425 ml)
2 tsp  (10 ml)
3/4 cup (175 ml)
2
3/4 cup (175 ml)
1/3 cup (75 ml)
2 tsp (10 ml)
1/2 tsp (2 ml)
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml)
1

flour
baking powder
whole unblanched almond
eggs
sugar
melted butter
vanilla
almond extract
grated orange rind
egg white lightly beaten

Directions:

1. In large bowl combine flour and baking powder.
2. Stir in Almonds.
3. Whisk eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and orange rind.
4. Stir into flour mixture until soft, sticky dough forms.
5. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface, form into smooth ball, divide in half, roll each into 12 inch long log. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
6. brush tops with egg whites.
7. bake in 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes on rack. Cut diagonally into 3/4 inch thick slices, stand cookies upright on baking sheet.
8. bake sliced cookies for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. cool on rack … mangia!!

Biscotti in Italian means cookie and also means twice baked…

Thank you for becoming a FaceBook fan … here is a little something Mamma wants to give back to you.

It is a 53 page e-book which includes some great coffee and dessert recipes.

Feel free to provide this link to your friends so they too can download this free e-book.

Coffee Recipes

Download the PDF HERE >>> coffee-recipes

Encourage your friends to join Mamma’s FaceBook Group