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37 decadent Italian desserts

Buon appetito!
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Tiramisu recipes

Italian desserts vary between decadent options like tiramisu, and biscuits like biscotti that pair perfectly with an espresso. And we can’t forget the refreshingly creamy gelato! We’ve combined all of these dessert styles into this list to give you the best of what Italy has to offer. These will be the perfect sweet finish to an Italian main meal.

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The home of pizza and pasta is also known for its rich, creamy desserts that many of us love to indulge in. From their coffee-infused tiramisus and zabaglioni, to their cannoli, affogato and refreshing granita, here are recipes for the best Italian desserts. 

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mini chocolate ricotta cannoli
Dessert
July 31, 1976

Mini chocolate ricotta cannoli

You will need a pasta machine, cannoli moulds (8cm long and 2cm wide/3¼-inch x ¾-inch) and a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½-inch) plain tube for this recipe. Note
By Women's Weekly Food
cherry and nougat torronata
Dessert
December 30, 2014

Cherry and nougat torrone

This versatile firm dessert, made with a mixture of ricotta and sugar, combines well with many fruits – here with the sour, tart flavour of morello cherries added alongside nutty nougat and smooth yoghurt. Whip it up in advance for a festive season gathering.
By Women's Weekly Food

More Italian desserts

Of course, this list is not a comprehensive one of every Italian dessert out there, since the Italians do love their food! For more Italian-inspired sweet options, try this almond honey nougat. And for more gelato recipes, this raspberry gelato is a refreshing summer treat.

If you’re after biscotti recipes, see our collection of 19 beautiful biscotti recipes. The list includes classic flavours like hazelnut, lemon and pistachio, and almond, but also has some modern options like chocolate and fig, and a chai biscotti. There is even a Jaffa-inspired biscotti recipe that uses glacé orange.

Mains to pair with these desserts

These desserts are the perfect finisher to an Italian lunch or dinner. To plan out your Italian menu, see our collection of our best Italian recipes. It includes more sweet options, but also plenty of main meal favourites like risotto, bolognese and lasagne, as well as stews and soups.

For pizza inspiration, see this collection of 28 pizza topping ideas. If you’re looking for a pasta main meal to come before these desserts, we’ve collected our favourite pasta dishes into this ultimate collection of pasta recipes. Also, you might like this list of 32 perfect pasta bakes.

More Italian recipes

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Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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