14 italian dessert recipes

Italian cheesecake blends silky mascarpone with creamy ricotta, brandy, and vanilla, then bakes into two graham cracker pies with a tender, lightly set filling. A no-water-bath cheesecake with old-country flavor and zero fuss.

Authentic biscotti di Prato (cantucci): the traditional Tuscan twice-baked almond cookies, made with no butter for a hard, crunchy bite built for dunking in coffee or vin santo.

Crisp biscotti soaked in flavored simple syrup until soft, then topped with fresh whipped cream and fruit. A quick Italian-inspired dessert with endless variations.

Hazelnut and eggs - also called Brutti Ma Buoni, these cookies have tons of sweet nutty flavor.

Godiva chocolate tiramisu with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and grated dark chocolate. A boozy, no-bake Italian dessert that chills overnight.

Balsamic strawberries macerated with sugar and finished with aged balsamic vinegar just before serving. A three-ingredient Italian dessert that brings out the berry's best.

Final assembly of a three-layer tiramisu torte with mascarpone filling, whipped cream piping, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. The Italian dessert classic reimagined as a layer cake.

Pound cake slices draped in a cloud-light mascarpone sauce with brandy, whipped egg whites, and fresh berries. An Italian-style dessert that looks fancy but takes 20 minutes.

Fresh tortoni made with vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, almond extract, and chopped almonds. A no-bake Italian frozen dessert in individual cups.

Ricotta pudding baked in individual cups until puffed and golden, made with part-skim ricotta, lemon zest, and a folded egg white for souffle-like lift. A light Italian-style dessert.

Frozen tortoni with cream cheese, Amaretto, whipped cream, and crushed peanut brittle in foil cups. An elegant Italian-style frozen dessert with no ice cream maker needed.

Crispy deep-fried ricotta fritters coated in ladyfinger crumbs with orange zest and nutmeg, served warm with raspberry sauce. An Italian-style dessert that's golden outside and creamy within.

Light tortoni frozen dessert made with whipped nonfat dry milk, almond extract, and graham cracker crumbs. A low-fat Italian-style ice cream treat with no heavy cream needed.

Italian Mascarpone cheese is used in the dessert a lot, it's creamy, light and tasty, and it is so versatile, you can mix it with various of fruits or jam to create a delicious filling or topping.