Italian Sweets

[Bill Miller]

We are hosting a dinner (sit down) party in May with an Italian theme. We are trying to think of something like a classic Italian candy to give the guests to take home. Anybody out there--We need help.

[patticky]

We are hosting a dinner (sit down) party in May with an Italian theme.  We are trying to think of something like a classic Italian candy to give the guests to take home.  Anybody out there--We need help.

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Torrone comes to mind. You might find it in a good Italian bakery.

[Kevin72]

Croccante? Similar to peanut brittle but with almonds instead.

You could make sfogliatelle, little pastry/cookie things that travel well. Or even an assortment of Italian cookies.

[cbrezi]

I would make them some candied fruit peels. simple and tasty. if you want to get a little fancier, dip them in some homemade chocolate. put them in a cute little bag and that's it.

[ludja]

If you want to make the favor yourself, I like the cookie idea. One could go simply with some classic almond or hazelnut biscotti or look around for other Italian cookies. One Italian cookie I've been wanting to try is made of almond paste dough which is wrapped around an amarena cherry.

Besides torrone, another candy idea would be hazelnut chocolates from Ferrero Rocher and/or Jordon almonds.

[divina]

Try the ricarelli cookie recipe on my site.

IMPORTANT is that it is made with ground almond flour, not ground in the cuisinart.

But in a nut grinder.. often called almond FLOUR in health food shops.

bake a trial one first as the ingredients in america are different than those in Italy.

Everyone ADORES them!

[Franci]

I have some internet connection problem, so it's too painful to load pictures on egullet

This chocolate torrone is very, very easy to make

Torrone al cioccolato

200 g sugar, 50 g glucose (or light corn syrup), 200 g of honey (mild), 500 bittersweet chocolate, 400 g slightly toasted hazelnuts (peeled), 2 egg whites.

Put in a stainless steel pot the sugar, the syrup and little water (just to wet it). Bring it to 125 C. Bring the honey to the same temperature and let it cool slightly, add the whipped eggs whites, the sugar and the warm hazelnut, the melted chocolate. Bring back to a bainmarie and stir until gets pretty stiff, without schorcing the chocolate (the stiffer it gets the harder the torrone but because of chocolate remains anyway pretty tender). Pour on a rectangular "wafer", level and cover with another sheet of water, ostia in Italian. You can find it in German stores, like Schaller and Weber, look for oblaten.

Or a tray of mixed cookies: amaretti, daci di dama, zaletti, wine tarallini dipped in sugar, etc.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Franci (log)