8 replies to this topic

[NYC Mike]

Looking for a recomendation or two.

All of my wife's Italian cookbooks seem to approach desert as an afterthought (not unlike many Italian restaurants come to think of it).

Is there such a book?

Thanks,

-M

[takomabaker]

I own
Nick Malgieri's Great Italian Desserts

and it seems quite good, but I have to honestly admit that I haven't done anything but read it thus far. I bet others have actually tried the recipes!

[bluechefk]

i would second the nick malgieri book suggestion - also try 'la dolce vita' by michele scicolone, and carole fields' 'the italian baker'. i own, but don't think i've actually used yet, 'sweet maria's italian cookie tray'. a few more that aren't just about desserts, but which i've found really wonderful dessert recipes in: 'saveur cooks italian' and lynne kaspar's 'the italian country table'.

i used to be the pastry chef for an italian restaurant - can you tell?

[NYC Mike]

Thanks to you both!

My wife is a great cook but really doesn't get into baking. I am going to try and make a mess in the kitchen and hopefully spend more time in it with her.

[ludja]

I also like the Malgieri and Scicolone books. The latter has many nice "spoon desserts", fruit and cookie recipes. There are also chapters on Gelati, Sorbetto and Granite and Semifredidi.

Another very nice book is
"Patisserie of Italy" by Jeni Wright. Many wonderful recipes. The latest one I made was a delicious chocolate-hazelnut tart.

A small but *sweet* book if you can find it is Anna del Conte's "Italian Kitchen: I Dolci". One of my favorite rustic apple cake recipes is from this book.

[Wendy DeBord]

I've done my fair share of Italian themed sweets tables over the years........struggling to find good information and good recipes.......and actually try to learn Italian baking. I've got a fairly thick Italian file now, even though I'd say most of the recipes I'll never use, they serve only as references. Sometimes I buy a magazine and only get one or two decent pastry recipes out of it for my file. But that's the bulk of my file...recipes from various magazines collected over the years. So if theres something specific your looking to make, it might be helpful if you just started a thread here asking on that particular item.

I can't tell you a name of one or two books on Italian baking you can buy and just follow the recipes and you'll get great results. I haven't found that book for Italian baking myself. And or it's highly possible that I'm too influenced by other baking experiences/knowledge that I expect better or different from recipes printed as is........and vary my Italian pastries to suit my palate. I've purchased and recieved from people that claim to be really good Italian bakers some pastries I couldn't choke down.........

I've worked from Great Italian Desserts by Nick Malgieri.......the recipes I've made from this book have all worked fine. But every recipe I've had to add a little bit to..... Like I didn't like his pastry cream and or I added whipped cream or I added additional ingredients like chocolate, nuts or a liqour to reach the taste I wanted in a particular recipe. But I do think this book is a starting place to learn.

I don't know if you can find this book, but Patisserie of Italy by Jeni Wright (published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1988) as always done right by me. All the recipes I've tried from that book worked well and I think I like her baking better then Malgieri's.

Edited........oops, I see that Ludja also reccomended the Wright book..........

[markabauman]

Check out "Sweet Sicily" by Victoria Granof.

[baroness]

carole fields' 'the italian baker'. i own, but don't think i've actually used yet, 'sweet maria's italian cookie tray'.
i used to be the pastry chef for an italian restaurant - can you tell? 

Both of these authors' books (Carol Field and Maria Bruscino Sanchez) are very good. The latter, a bakery owner, has several other titles on desserts and cake.

[binkyboots]

if you can find a copy, Ursula Ferringo has a nice book on italian desserts called "Ursula's Italian Cakes and Desserts"