Category: Desserts

Authentic Italian vegan cherry jellies recipe, gluten-free dessert by Chef Carlotta in Florence

Fancy a dessert that contains all the flavor of ripe cherries? If the answer is yes, then you absolutely have to try my vegan cherry jelly recipe. Forget about industrial jellies; here we only use fresh fruit pulp and agar-agar, a vegetable gelling agent, also suitable for those who have a particular diet (gluten intolerant),…

Authentic Italian iced coffee dessert, vegan and gluten-free recipe from Florence

A fresh coffee dessert, ideal for the summer, and which will be appreciated by everyone. We will be able to serve it to all our guests, either the ones who have special dietary requirements and those who will just appreciate a light and fresh treat.  If coffee makes us a bit too “nervous” we can…

Authentic Italian dark chocolate Caprese cake recipe, naturally gluten-free almond cake by Chef Carlotta in Florence

This gluten-free dark chocolate cake was created by accident in Capri in 1920, in a similar way to the birth of Tarte Tatin. The pastry chef was in a stressful day and created this magic cake with chocolate and ground almonds forgetting flour: the result is this magic cake covered by a thin and crunchy…

pignolata struffoli in red

Pignolata, also known nationally and internationally as Struffoli is a very popular dessert in Southern Italy at Christmas time. It is not hard to make but time-consuming, and the best advice I can give is collecting the family around the table in order to roll them into the small marbles. The traditional dessert is arranged…

Traditional Italian Christmas dessert: honey-glazed Struffoli marbles by Chef Carlotta in Florence

Pignolata, also known as Struffoli in Naples, is a very popular dessert in Southern Italy, an area that was dominated by Spain for centuries, and its origin is from the region of Andalusia. These Christmas marble-sized honey fritters are deep-fried and then rolled in honey before being assembled into a cone or a globular wreath….

Easter chocolate egg

The tradition of Easter eggs is a very ancient one, as it stems from the celebration of spring as a rebirth. It is the only celebration in the Christian calendar which has a variable date, falling on the Sunday after the first spring full moon. The festivity’s name itself – Easter in English and Ostern…

Tangerine gelo. The mere mention of this dessert evokes a sensation of freshness, citrus scents, and summer nights. Tangerine gelo is a typical recipe of the Sicilian tradition. Whereas its origin has been lost over time it likely has its roots in the Arab-Norman domination, so rich in creativity, pervaded by the scent of oriental…

Zabaione is a fluffy mixture of egg yolks, sugar and a sweet wine, usually a Moscato d’Asti or Marsala wine. As a mousse, the addition of fresh whipping cream lends a more sophisticated touch to a very traditionale dessert. Cooked in a bain-marie, zabaione is usually served, still lukewarm with crunchy biscuits called lingue di…

This Christmas Log, also known as Swiss Roll, originates from the French Bûche de Noël. It represents the ancient tradition of burning a large log in the fireplace which started on Christmas eve and was supposed to last for the entire festive period, later replaced by this suggestive dessert. Nowadays, the different fillings for the…

Authentic Tuscan almond cantucci recipe, traditional twice-baked cookies by Chef Carlotta in Florence

These almond cookies are the quintessence of Tuscan food. They are extremely simple, and the goodness of this recipe relies on the choice of quality ingredients. I always make them on a wooden board because I love the sensation of working with dough, even if it is easier to use a food processor. It likely…

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