53 Delicious Italian Desserts

From rich tiramisu to fruity shortcake, we’ve rounded up these Italian desserts for you to sink your teeth into.

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From rich, creamy Tiramisu to fruity Italian-Style Strawberry Shortcake, we’ve rounded up our most delicious Italian desserts for you to sink your teeth into. Whether you want to serve them at a dinner party or are looking for the perfect end to a cosy family meal, we're sure you'll find a recipe that hits the spot.

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Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Easy
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Prepare the springform pan by coating it in a thin layer with 2 tablespoons of the softened butter. Add the cocoa powder to the pan and tap the sides to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Discard any excess cocoa powder.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
65 mins
Serves
-
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Fat Free Italian Meringue Cake

Medium
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. To make the genoise, put the eggs, sugar, zest and vanilla into a heatproof mixing bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk together with a handheld electric mixer until the mixture feels
Prep Time
-
Cook Time
-
Serves
10
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Classic Tiramisu

Easy
First prepare the coffee and pour it in a bowl and allow to cool off, add 2 tablespoons sugar or sweeten to taste. Mix the egg yolks with 45g sugar, and mix until you obtain a creamy light mixture. Work the mascarpone in a bowl using a wooden spoon,
Prep Time
220 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
8
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Chocolate Amaretti Cake

Easy
Indulge in this dark chocolate cake with amaretti biscuits and almonds.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Serves
4
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Italian-Style Strawberry Shortcake

Easy
Add peppery basil to this simple strawberry dessert for Debi Mazar's twist.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
8
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Mascarpone Amaretti Cup

Easy
Mix the egg yolks with half the sugar until you obtain a creamy light mixture. Work the mascarpone in a separate bowl using a wooden spoon, making sure you eliminate any lumps, then add to the eggs and continue to mix well. In another bowl, mix th
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
6
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Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart

Easy
Giada adds some bite to her rich tart with crunchy hazelnuts.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
60 mins
Serves
4
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Panna Cotta

Easy
Add the cream, milk, vanilla seeds and pod to a bowl and whisk together. Then sprinkle with gelatin. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes while you gather the other ingredients so the gelatin can bloom. Heat the milk mixture in a medium saucep
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
6
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Mini Cannolis

Hard
To make the caramel pastry cream: Bring the water, sugar and corn syrup to a full boil in a medium saucepot. Boil, uncovered and without stirring, occasionally brushing the sides of the pot with water, until it is a light amber colour. Whisk in th
Prep Time
-
Cook Time
-
Serves
36
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Genoise with buttercream-Italian meringue

Hard
Combine Italian meringue with butter for a soft, smooth and very sweet icing.
Prep Time
120 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Serves
1
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Minted Milk Chocolate Semifreddo

Hard
Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring gently until melted. Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks, 2 tbsp of the sugar, the Irish Cream liqueur in another metal bowl, and place this o
Prep Time
60 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
12
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Espresso panna cotta

Easy
Serve up these elegant puds for a special after-dinner treat.
Prep Time
-
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
2
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Sgroppino

Easy
To make the sorbet: Add the sugar, 1 cup water and lemon zest to a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups cold water, the lemon juice and limoncello. Place in the fridge until chilled
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Classic Tiramisu

Medium
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a metal bowl placed over a pot of gently simmering water until the mixture doubles in volume and holds a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Remove this from the heat. In a clean bowl, and whisk in the mascar
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
4
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Honey Pistachio Biscotti

Easy
Deliciously moreish biscotti, double-baked to perfection.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Serves
15
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Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

Medium
For the crust: 1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4. 2. Tightly wrap the outside of a 22cm diameter springform pan with 7cm-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, biscuit crumbs, and sugar in a food processor
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
80 mins
Serves
12
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Chocolate and Ricotta Pie

Medium
Giada's creamy pie is filled with sweet ricotta and topped with pine nuts.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
70 mins
Serves
-
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Pandoro Bread and Butter Pudding

Easy
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Lightly butter a large ovenproof large dish with a depth of about 5cm. Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the lemon zest. Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and set aside. Soak the cranberries in the amarett
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Serves
4
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Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

Easy
Gelatos of all flavours are the most adored street sweet in the whole of Italy.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
6
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Lemon hazelnut tiramisu

Medium
Lemon lends a fresh edge to this traditional Italian trifle.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
8
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Pineapple semifreddo

Easy
1) Grease a 24cm by 13cm by 8cm deep (1.4L) metal loaf pan lightly with nonstick spray. Line the pan with cling film, with enough cling film extending over the sides to cover the top after the pan has been filled. 2) In a medium bowl, whip the doubl
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Ricotta parfaits

Easy
In a small bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese and yoghurt together until smooth. In each parfait glass, layer two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, one tablespoon of the raspberry jam and 60g of the toasted muesli. Repeat the layers. Spread the remain
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Serves
4
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Honey ricotta cheesecake

Medium
Vary this recipe using honey infused with herbs, citrus or chilli.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
80 mins
Serves
12
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Chocolate Peppermint Pizzelle

Medium
Use a pizzelle iron to create beautiful Italian biscuits in an instant.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Serves
-
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Balsamic Chocolate Truffles

Easy
Bitter dark chocolate and sweet balsamic are the perfect match.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Serves
36
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Vanilla Gelato with Cherry Compote

Medium
For the gelato: Add the milk, cream, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla bean to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to combine. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 c
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Serves
4
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Apricot and Nut Biscuits with Amaretto Icing

Easy
For the biscuits: 1) In a large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Beat in the egg. Stir in the plain flour until just blended. Mix in the apricots, a
Prep Time
4 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
-
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Limoncello granita

Easy
Place the simple syrup, mascarpone cheese, limoncello, and salt in a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into an 20 by 20cm glass baking dish. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until the mixture is firm. Using the pro
Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
4
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Olive Oil Muffins

Easy
The olive oil in these muffins makes them perfect make-ahead breakfast treats.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Serves
12
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Cantuccini

Easy
Gino's double-baked chocolate and citrus biscuits are perfect with an espresso.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
23 mins
Serves
20
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Almond, Pine Nut, Apricot Crumb Cake

Medium
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 23cm cake tin. 2) Combine the whole almonds and half the pine nuts (35g) in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a medium bowl. A
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Serves
6
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Almond and Lemon Biscotti with White Chocolate

Medium
Preheat the oven to 160°C / gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, beat the caster sugar and eggs with an electri
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
60 mins
Serves
-
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Almond Cake

Medium
1) Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. 2) Grease an 17-cm round cake pan with vegetable spray. An alternative is to butter and flour the cake pan. 3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour and baking powder and set aside. 4
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Serves
6
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Biscotti Di Prato

Medium
These café-style biscotti require lots of love and attention.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
70 mins
Serves
50
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Schiacciata alla Fiorentina

Easy
A classic Italian orange cake made with fresh zest and juice.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Serves
12
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Chocolate and Cardamom Panna Cotta

Medium
Chocolate and rose go together perfectly in this Indian twist on an Italian favourite.
Prep Time
-
Cook Time
-
Serves
4
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Amaretto Tiramisu

Easy
Pour the coffee and amaretto or brandy in a bowl. Add half the biscuits and allow to soak for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, place the egg yolk, sugar and mascarpone in a separate bowl and whisk together for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
4
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Italian Ice Pops

Easy
In a blender, combine the raspberries and the mint. Puree until combined. Add the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the simple syrup. Blend to combine. Taste the mixture and add the remaining 1 tablespoon simple syrup if you like. Spoon the mixture in
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
12
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Panna cotta with honey

Medium
1) Place the cream, vanilla bean, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. 2) Remove the vanilla bean and split lengthwise. Scrape the vanilla beans into the cream. 3) Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove any excess w
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Ricotta with vanilla-sugar croutons and berries

Medium
For the croutons:1) Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. In a medium bowl, toss together the bread cubes and melted butter. Add the vanilla sugar and toss until the bread cubes are coated in sugar. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a parchment-
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Serves
4
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Mixed Berries with Limoncello

Easy
1) Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Serve in individual serving dishes.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
4
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Italian hot fudge sundae

Easy
1) Bring 165ml of cream and espresso to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth. 2) Beat the remaining 250ml of cream, adding icing sugar one tablespoon a
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Mascarpone Mousse in White Chocolate Cups

Medium
Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt the white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 tbsp melted chocolate into each paper liner. Using a pastry brush, coat the chocolate evenly over the bottom a
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Serves
8
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Gelato Bar

Easy
For the milk chocolate sauce:1) Combine the cream and honey in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 2) Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate melts, about 2 minutes, then whisk to combine.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
8
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Griddled peaches with mascarpone cheese

Easy
1) Place a griddle pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Lightly brush the griddle pan or rack with oil. Place the peaches on the griddle pan and do not move the peaches, otherwise you will not have marks. Grill the pe
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Cranberry Granita

Easy
Whisk the cranberry juice and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Pour the cranberry mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2inch glass baking dish. Cool completely. Whisk in the lime juice and vodka. Freeze until the granita
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Serves
6
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Chocolate zabaglione

Medium
1) Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. 2) Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Serves
6
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Amaretti torta

Easy
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4. Grease a 23-cm cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 2) Combine the 20 amaretti cookies and the chocolate in a food processor. Run the machine until the mixture is very finely minced.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Serves
8
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Spiced Chocolate Budino

Medium
Make the pudding according to the package instructions. Add the cinnamon, orange zest, and red pepper flakes before chilling in a large trifle dish. Before serving, sprinkle the top with chopped Candied Orange Peel.Candied Orange Peel: Using a vegeta
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Serves
-
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Gianduja bars

Easy
1) Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F/ gas mark 4. 2) Spread each of the brownies with 1 tablespoon of Nutella, then sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts and finish with 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips. 3) Place the brownies
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Serves
4
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Espresso granita with whipped cream

Easy
1) In a 23-by-33 cm glass baking dish, carefully pour in hot espresso and whisk in granulated sugar until dissolved completely. 2) Place dish in freezer and every hour, scrape the mixture with a large fork to create the granita texture. The granita
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
-
Serves
12
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Cornmeal and rosemary cake with balsamic syrup

Medium
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 20cm round cake pan. 2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornflour, flour, minced rosemary, baking powder, and salt. 3) Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on low
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Serves
4
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Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Easy
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Prepare the springform pan by coating it in a thin layer with 2 tablespoons of the softened butter. Add the cocoa powder to the pan and tap the sides to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Discard any excess cocoa powder.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
65 mins
Serves
-
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Italian-Style Strawberry Shortcake

Easy
Add peppery basil to this simple strawberry dessert for Debi Mazar's twist.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Serves
8