Scrumptious Italian Desserts

Desserts don't get more decadent than this. Boccone dolce -- Italian for "sweet mouthful" -- features lavish layers of crisp vanilla meringue, drippy chocolate, cloudlike whipped cream, and market-fresh berries.

Meet gelato: ice cream's indulgent Italian cousin. Orange peel and toasted almonds add zippy crunch to this very-cherry version, while pitted dark cherries provide nutrition and color.

So long, sprinkles and frosting! It's back to basics with these Italian doughnut holes. A package of instant mashed potatoes helps create the batter, while simple sugar and velvety chocolate-hazelnut cream dress them all up.

Torta di Mele -- apple cake -- was inspired by the abundant apple orchards of Northern Italy. Every happy forkful of this fragrant fig version oozes with warm ginger goodness. Serve with a smear of honey-infused mascarpone.

With ricotta cheese, dark chocolate, and zippy orange peel, this version of a quintessential italian dessert marries a melange of delicious flavors.

Bring the intoxicating flavors of Italian bakeries to your kitchen with this pretty almond crostada. Smeared with jam, studded with pears, and sprinkled with almonds, what's not to love?

Ahh, tiramisu. The iconic Italian dessert continues to evoke oohs and ahhs, thanks to its addictive layers of liqueur-soaked ladyfingers and fluffy mascarpone cheese. Dust the dreamy dessert in cocoa powder to finish.

Zabaglione (a sweet wine custard) meets semifreddo (a semifrozen fruit sorbet) in this delightful Italian dessert. Each forkful features raspberry-lemon sorbet sandwiched between two layers of whipped espresso topping, all on a crumbly amaretto crust.

Granitas are intensely fruit-flavored ices popular in southern Italy. This one is zippy, light, and refreshing. Top with a spoonful of homemade lemon cream.

Almonds, olive oil, and lip-smacking lemon liven up this light-as-air cake while a topping made of your favorite fruit makes it party-ready.

Apricots are a staple in Italian cuisine. These chewy little fruit bites make the perfect sweet snack when stuffed with pistaschios and dipped in chocolate. Choose between white or dark chocolate -- or better yet, drizzle in both!

Frozen tiramisu? Sold. Italy's finest flavors -- coffee, vanilla bean, and Kahlua -- come together to create this creamy cool twist. Enjoy the slew of sweet flavors atop a rich ladyfinger crust.

For an authentic Italian cheesecake, blend mascarpone with vanilla bean and cool cream cheese. Freeze the filling atop a crunchy amaretti cookie crust, then bedazzle with candylike fruit for a true taste of Italy.

Light and creamy, this classic custard is infused with sweet Marsala wine and freshly grated nutmeg. The homey dessert tastes fabulous when topped with fresh fruit or simply eaten alone. 

In the Piedmont region of Italy, the duo of chocolate and hazelnuts flavors all kinds of desserts. Serve these sweet little cookie sandwiches with after-dinner espresso.

Creamy ricotta cheese flavored with orange peel and orange liqueur is the perfect flavor contrast to a tart but sweet berry mixture.

Macaroons flavored with sweet almonds are known in Italy as amaretti cookies. They make a delightful topper for this dreamy plum dessert.

Sweet honey, spicy ginger, rich cream, and crisp almonds come together to make these delightful, light-as-air cookies.

Genoise (zhen-WAHZ) is a rich, light-texture cake (similar to sponge cake) that originated in Genoa, Italy. Here, the cake is topped with a mouthwatering sauce spiked with Vin Santo, a rich, sweet Italian white wine.

These melt-in-your-mouth raspberry and almond meringues are a lovely way to end a hearty meal on a sweet note.

Three kinds of chocolate make this oh-so-creamy gelato a no-brainer for chocolate-lovers. Best of all, it has fewer than 200 calories per serving and calls for just six ingredients.

This variation of cassata, a traditional Italian dessert often served at weddings, offers a heavenly cherry brandy-spiked ricotta and cream cheese filling flecked with almonds and dried cherries.