A voyage to discover traditional Christmas desserts in northern and central Italy

The Aosta Valley

In  the Aosta Valley, you simply must try a Flantze, a sweet, buttery bread made with sugar, raisins, walnuts, almonds and orange zest, which is especially delicious during the Christmas holidays. And of course, we can't forget the super-typical  Mont Blanc! It is one of the most famous desserts in the Aosta Valley tradition, made with chestnuts, cocoa or dark chocolate and topped with dollops of whipped cream.

Mecoulin is the pandolce of Cogne, and its origins date back to the Middle Ages. It is a sweet loaf made from a leavened dough similar to that used for Ligurian panettone and contains rum-flavoured raisins.

Lombardy

In Sondrio, Valtellina, you can try Bisciola, a bread filled with fruit and dried figs that is similar to Panettone, the King of the Milanese Christmas desserts.

Moving towards Valcamonica, the Christmas version of Spongada, a sweet, lightly filled flatbread, is served during the festive season, while in the Bergamo area it is customary to make Polenta e Osei: a sponge cake in the shape of polenta covered with almond paste and decorated with marzipan birds. Those who prefer a dry biscuit with a soft centre can try Amaretti di Saronno, which should be enjoyed with a glass of the liqueur of the same name.

At Christmas, there is always nougat from Cremona on the tables of Lombardy. Whether crumbly, soft, hard or covered in all types of chocolate, it brings joy to everyone.

Liguria

In Liguria, Pandolce is the typical dessert that heralds the arrival of Christmas. Stuffed with fennel, raisins and candied fruit, it is a very ancient delicacy, which is why there are many different versions of it.

Some people mistake them for Baci di Dama, but Baci di Alassio are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. A winning combination of hazelnuts, cream and chocolate that promises pure enjoyment.

Veneto

In fact, throughout northern Italy, this tradition has helped to shape a series of typical Christmas desserts, and Veneto is no exception.

For example, in Verona, besides the timeless Pandoro, among the typical Venetian Christmas desserts you will find the Nadalin, its true ancestor, invented to celebrate the first Christmas under the rule of the Scala family.

How about a sugar fix instead, with a taste of a marzipan house? Although nowadays, it is commonly considered a dessert from Southern Italy, marzipan actually has an ancient love story that ties it to the city of Venice. Its name derives from "Marci panis" - meaning "the bread of Saint Mark" - and, as a monopoly of the lagoon, it was shipped to markets in Northern Europe marked with the symbol of the Lion of Saint Mark.

Trentino and South Tyrol

Setting off on this culinary journey to discover the traditional desserts of northern and central Italy, in Trentino and South Tyrol you may be greeted by the aroma of a warm apple strudel and a zelten, a typical cake made with dried fruit and candied peel; or brazedel, a colourful doughnut, a typical Trentino gift for godchildren on New Year's Day.

With so many ovens to choose from, there will be just as many desserts: spiced gingerbread biscuits, a splendid Fiemme beer cake, a donkey from Saint Lucy or a beautiful buckwheat and cranberry cake will delight the taste buds.  

Emilia Romagna

Exploring the Christmas desserts of central Italy: it's time to head to Emilia Romagna. Here, there are many varieties of sweet bread, such as Modena Christmas bread, Bolognese panone, and Ferrara pampepato covered in chocolate.
Special mention must be made of a real delicacy that is served in the Modena and Reggio Emilia areas. Have you ever tasted Tortelli di Natale? They are baked or fried, and then filled with custard, jam or Christmas pesto, made with jam, chestnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, coffee powder, rum or liqueur.

Tuscany

If we are talking about typical Christmas desserts from central Italy, we must also mention Tuscan cuisine. In this part of Italy, desserts are the real stars of the show, often with funny and witty names.

The exquisite Ricciarelli, together with Panpepato and Panforte, form the enviable trio of Tuscan Christmas sweets served at festive tables in the city of Siena. And of course, we mustn't forget Cantuccini, traditional almond biscuits which, when dipped in Vin Santo, are the perfect way to end a Christmas dinner.

Marche

In the Marche region, Christmas pizza is a real tradition.

Dried fruit including walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, raisins and dried figs mixed into the pizza dough, a zest of lemon and orange, sugar, cocoa and olive oil: this is your pizza de Natà.

Another dessert from the Marche region that is well worth trying is Lu Serpe, a shortcrust pastry snake filled with almonds and cinnamon amaretti, then glazed and decorated. It is said that its origin can be traced back to the monastery of Falerone and that the Poor Clare nuns passed down the recipe to the present day.

Lazio
In Lazio, Pangiallo is a typical dessert that dates back to ancient Rome, where it was custom to make golden-coloured desserts during the winter solstice to encourage the return of the sun.

While in Rome, be sure to try the quintessential biscuits of Lazio: Tozzetti. During the Christmas period, they are very popular and are made in large quantities. The recipe combines chocolate and dried fruit with a few drops of lemon juice and a little cinnamon: the result is mouth-watering.

Abruzzo

In Abruzzo, you can find Caggionetti, delicious little fried ravioli that you could eat forever. The filling is delicious and soft, made with chestnuts, chocolate or grape jam, chocolate, almonds and cinnamon, and sprinkled with the inevitable icing sugar. A real treat.

Another Christmas dessert from Abruzzo is without a doubt the Bocconotto, originally from the province of Chieti. Small enough to be eaten in a single bite, they are filled with grape jam, chocolate, almonds and cinnamon and dusted with the ever-present icing sugar. A real treat.

Simply put, Christmas meals across the peninsula are filled with the aroma of butter and sweetness. Making your own traditional Christmas treats is not impossible. The ingredients: a good pair of hands, a little practice and perhaps a course to guide you through the process. The secret that has been handed down from generation to generation is always the same: love.