La dolce vita: Enjoy life's sweet pleasures with 170 recipes for biscotti, torte, crostate, gelati, and other Italian desserts

ISBN: 0688111491

Author: Scicolone, Michele

Condition: New

Enjoy life's sweet pleasures with 170 recipes for biscotti, torte, crostate, gelati, and other Italian desserts! Almond-hazelnut biscotti dipped into a glass of amber-colored dessert wine. A slice of fig tart accompanied by a cup of frothy cappuccino. Winebaked apples served on sweet and buttery golden polenta crostini. Rich, creamy gelati and delicate sorbetti in a rainbow of colors. A still life of artfully arranged cheeses, fresh and dried fruits, and nuts. Who says Italians don't eat desserts? From biscotti with coffee for breakfast to a piece of cake with afternoon tea or an ice-cream cone after an evening stroll, Italians certainly know how to enjoy la dolce vita -- the sweet life. Michele Scicolone's new book includes her favorite Italian desserts -- simple sweets served both at home and in trattorias and cafes throughout Italy. More than two dozen cookie recipes include authentic almond-laced Biscotti di Prato, classic sesame cookies known as Biscotti Regina, and lemony Venetian Butter Rings. Creamy Italian cheesecakes are made with ricotta or mascarpone and candied fruits. Flaky tarts are filled with everything from fruit jams and Arborio rice to sweet berries and lemon and chocolate. Light, creamy gelati come in a wide variety of flavors -- cinnamon, fig, honey, and coffee. Cooling, delicate Italian ices are intensely flavored with mint, sparkling white wine and peaches, and raspberries. And best of all, La Dolce Vita features the lesser-known desserts of Italy -- Grape Focaccia, Venetian Caramelized Fruit Skewers, Almond Semifreddo with Hot Chocolate Sauce, and Upside-Down Peach Poppyseed Cake. To round out this mouth-watering collection, Michele Scicolone has included recipes for simple fruit and cheese desserts, dessert sauces, explanations of Italian dessert wines and after-dinner digestivi, and of course, how to brew a perfect cup of Italian coffee.