Italian Dessert Recipes

In Gino’s words, ‘a good meal should always be followed by a good dessert’ – and it’s hard to argue with that!

The Italian desserts are covered, including Gino’s tiramisu recipe (using Amaretto), a sorbet recipe made with Aperol and Blood Orange  –  and a family favourite, No-bake Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheesecake.

Buon Appetito!

Dessert

Dolce di panettone e miele con frutta grigliata e ricottaPanettone and Honey Pudding with Chargrilled Fruits and Ricotta

This is my Italian version of bread and butter pudding, served with chargrilled fruits and sweetened ricotta cheese. In Italy the ricotta is very creamy and rich, and I just added honey to sweeten it, but in Britain you might like to add a few drops of vanilla extract to give depth of flavour.

6

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape: A taste of Italy from Veneto to Puglia by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 18th October 2018. Photography credit – Dan Jones, Holly Bryson & Trevor Butterfield

Gelato con gocce di cioccolato e menta frescaFresh Mint and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

When I was a child I always gravitated towards mint choc chip. Now when I taste this flavour I am often disappointed by the artificial toothpaste-like flavour of the mint. I wanted to make a fresh-tasting ice cream that reminded me of my childhood, so the colours and flavours in this recipe are completely natural. Only use the leaves of the mint. The ice cream will become very fibrous if the stalks...

4

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape: A taste of Italy from Veneto to Puglia by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 18th October 2018. Photography credit – Dan Jones, Holly Bryson & Trevor Butterfield

Sorbetto all’Aperol ed arancia rossaAperol and Blood Orange Sorbet

The Aperol Spritz, sometimes called the Spritz Veneziano, is a refreshing orange cocktail made from Aperol and prosecco. It’s extremely popular across Italy, particularly in Venice, and is fast becoming a drink of choice in Britain, too. So what better way to do it justice than to make it into a beautiful sorbet to enjoy on a hot summer’s day? For an added twist, place a scoop of sorbet into a...

4

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape: A taste of Italy from Veneto to Puglia by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 18th October 2018. Photography credit – Dan Jones, Holly Bryson & Trevor Butterfield

SOUFFLÉ AL CIOCCOLATO CON COULIS DI LAMPONISuper-easy Chocolate Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce

Yes it’s a soufflé recipe, but please don’t panic! These aren’t like any other soufflés – they’re super easy to make and you really can’t go wrong. The quantities given here are for quite large soufflés, as I love them so much, but if you’re serving them at the end of a large meal, you might prefer to make them in slightly smaller ramekins (around 250ml/300ml capacity), in which case...

4

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Express by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 31st October 2019. Photography credit – Dan Jones

CHEESECAKE A FREDDO ALLA CREMA DI CIOCCOLATO E NOCCIOLINENo-bake Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheesecake

This chocolate cheesecake is extremely easy to prepare, yet looks so impressive. I got my inspiration for the recipe when visiting the town of La Morra, near Cuneo, in Piedmont. I met a doctor called Roberto, who travels on horseback to visit his patients in their homes. After a long day of horse-riding, he told me that the area was famous for its hazelnut trees, so I decided to include hazelnuts in...

8

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Express by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 31st October 2019. Photography credit – Dan Jones

GEL ATO VELOCE CON LIMONCELLO E FRUTTI DI BOSCOQuick Limoncello Ice Cream with Mixed Berries

The digestivo limoncello, made from lemons, has been produced in Italy for centuries, particularly in the south, where the winters are milder. This limoncello and berry ice cream is the quickest ice cream you’re ever likely to make. You can use any kind of frozen berries; I usually use cherries, strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. If you prefer, you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice or...

8

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Express by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 31st October 2019. Photography credit – Dan Jones

TIRAMISÙ CON AMARETTOTiramisù with Amaretto

Tiramisù (which translates as ‘pick me up’) is a modern version of a dessert first created in Tuscany, where it was known in the 19th century as ‘zuppa inglese’ (English soup), because of the popularity of the dessert among the English living in the region. The original dessert had a custard base, but this was later replaced with mascarpone. There are often variations in the liqueur used....

8

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Coastal Escape: A Taste of Italy from the Aeolian Islands to Elba by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 19th October 2017. Photography credit – Dan Jones and Matt Russell

SORBETTO ALLE MOREBlackberry Sorbet

Blackberry sorbet is always my flavour of choice and brings back memories of foraging with friends when I was a little boy. We’d pick and eat our way through the bushes, and our purple-stained mouths and fingers were always a huge source of amusement – until my mum scrubbed me clean later that evening, practically scraping off the top layer of my skin in the process! This sorbet is perfect served...

6

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Italian Coastal Escape: A Taste of Italy from the Aeolian Islands to Elba by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 19th October 2017. Photography credit – Dan Jones and Matt Russell

Musse deliziosa di cioccolato fondente e frutti di boscoDark, Delicious Chocolate Mousse with Summer Fruits

Some of the best chocolate in Italy comes from the northern city of Turin, the capital of Piedmont, where chocolate-making has been established since the late 18th century. At this time, Italy exported their chocolate to France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland; indeed, it was the famous Turinbased firm Caffarel that inspired the Swiss to start making chocolate on a commercial scale. Rich chocolate...

6

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Hidden Italy : How to Cook Like a True Italian by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 6th October 2016. Photography credit – Matt Russell, Hal Shinnie and Dan Jones

Semifreddo alla Nutella con cioccolato fondente caldoChocolate and Hazelnut Semi-freddo with Hot Chocolate Sauce

Italy is the world’s second largest producer of hazelnuts after Turkey, and Piedmont – home of Nutella (see page 208) – is the main hazelnut-growing area in Italy. Like the Piedmontese, I love the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate so have created this semi-frozen dessert for you. It has a soft, velvety texture and – unlike ice cream – semi-freddo (meaning ‘half cold’) never freezes...

8

Serves

Extracted from Gino's Hidden Italy : How to Cook Like a True Italian by Gino D’Acampo (published by Hodder & Stoughton) on 6th October 2016. Photography credit – Matt Russell, Hal Shinnie and Dan Jones