Ida Akiko - Dolce: 80 authentic Italian sweet treats, cakes & desserts

80 AUthentic Italian Sweet
treats, cakes & desserts

As far back as I can remember, I have always associated desserts with family gatherings. Pandoro and panettone at Christmas time, focaccia at Easter and zuppa inglese during the holidays at my Aunt Viges house.

My travels to all corners of sweet Italy have led me to discover other wonders: all of them are revealed here in this book, a sort of map of the sweet and delicate! The cannolo with ricotta will transport you to Sicily, the pastiera to Naples, the pandolce to the coast of Liguria

Here, these recipes from the Italian tradition are made simpler, lighter, easy to make and still delicious. There is a secret to this: it lies in the choice and quality of ingredients, including sugar and flour, without forgetting a generous dose of love when making the dish and just a dash of moderation when it comes to eating it!

Italian dolci are, above all else, about family and simplicity. They are a tradition that, for a long time, was passed down only by word of mouth. Historically, their presence has been more prominent in the wealthier northern regions, and in Sicily and Campania, where their ingredients were more readily available.

Each region has its signature ingredients. In the north, it is cows milk (mascarpone, butter and cream), grains (corn, rice and buckwheat), hazelnuts and chestnuts, and fruit (apples and berries). In the south, it is ricotta, nuts (almonds and pistachios), fruit (figs and candied fruits), wheat and olive oil.

A little history

Cakes and biscuits grew out of bread-making, and were created to celebrate an event, usually a religious one. Thus, il pan (bread) became pandolce (sweet bread), pan doro or pandoro (golden bread), and so on. The practice of baking them developed in the monasteries and convents, where the raw materials honey, flour, eggs, milk, and so on were on hand.

It was only after 1000AD that cane sugar and spices such as vanilla, saffron and cinnamon arrived, thanks to the first crusades and Venetian traders. The 14th century marked the beginning of more elaborate ptisserie. The Renaissance paid tribute to sugar and Venice led the way. In his book Opera dell'arte del cucinare (printed in Venice in 1570), Bartolomeo Scappi, a cook in the service of Pope Pius V, compiled a veritable bible of recipes in which sugar is omnipresent. As symbols of wealth and markers of social status, the use of expensive sugar and priceless spices allowed the aristocracy to set itself apart from the lower classes.

The real ptisserie revolution took place in the 19th century, with the beginnings of sugar beet cultivation and the democratisation of sugar!

It was in Treviso, my home town in the region of Veneto, that tiramis was born.
At the end of the 1960s, the restaurant Le Beccherie baptised this dessert Tirami s (pick me up in English) because the combination of eggs, sugar and coffee is an excellent pick-me-up! This unusual name has contributed to its fame. The original recipe was given to me by Signor Campeol, owner of Le Beccherie.

20 minutes preparation time

2 hours refrigeration time

Serves 810

6 egg yolks

140 g (5 oz/2/3 cup) raw (demerara) sugar

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mascarpone cheese

250 g (9 oz) ladyfinger biscuits or 3040

300 ml (10 fl oz) strong espresso coffee, lukewarm

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

W hisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture has a mousse-like consistency. Mix in the mascarpone to make a smooth cream.

Dip the biscuits briefly in the coffee, then arrange them in a large round serving dish (the original shape of the genuine tiramis) or a stainless steel ring. Spread half the mascarpone cream over the layer of biscuits. Cover with a second layer of biscuits dipped in coffee, then another layer of mascarpone cream.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. When ready to serve, dust the tiramis with the cocoa powder using a small sieve. Eat within 24 hours.

To pasteurise the egg yolks

To keep your tiramis for up to 3 days, heat the sugar in a saucepan with 40 ml (1 fl oz) water. When the syrup reaches 120C (235C), pour it in a thin stream into the whisked yolks and keep whisking until the mixture cools down. Mix in the mascarpone, then proceed as per the recipe.

Pavesini are the biscuits of my childhood. Light, with a unique taste, you will find them in Italian grocery shops or delicatessens in their unchanged yellow packaging. The addition of alcohol is optional, but I recommend Marsala fine , meaning dry.

30 minutes preparation time

2 hours refrigeration time

Serves 810

5 eggs, separated

100 g (3 oz) raw (demerara) sugar

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) mascarpone cheese

50 ml (1 fl oz) dry ( fine ) Marsala (optional)

300 ml (10 fl oz) strong espresso coffee, lukewarm

1 packet Pavesini (8 sachets)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

W hisk the egg yolks with 60 g (2 oz) of the sugar in a large bowl until the mixture has a mousse-like consistency. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Mix the mascarpone into the yolksugar mixture, then gently fold in the whisked egg whites, turning the mixture up from the base of the bowl.

If using the Marsala, add it to the coffee. Dip the Pavesini biscuits briefly into the lukewarm coffee. The biscuits should be moistened but not soaked. In a deep serving dish, arrange a layer of biscuits and cover with a third of the mascarpone cream. Repeat this process twice.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. When ready to serve, dust the tiramis with the cocoa powder using a small sieve. Eat within 24 hours.