- BY ISSIMO
- December 5, 2024
If you’re looking for something sweet, you’ve come to the right place. There are certain times of the year when our ‘sweet tooth’ gets particularly excited – and the holiday season is certainly one of them. It’s no secret that we can’t get enough of traditional dolci Italiani here at ISSIMO, and this time of year is the perfect time to make them, buy them, give them, and of course, indulge in them to your heart’s content. The best part is, you can find many of them in ISSIMO’s Christmas Sweets Box.
While we love fancy desserts and those innovative sweet creations that look like works of art, there’s something about these iconic traditional sweets that we’ve been eating (and loving) since we were kids. Think special biscotti, panforte, torrone, panettone, and a long list of other delights that have been prepared across Italy during the festive season for hundreds of years. You just can’t beat them! Read on to discover more about the stories, traditions and customs around these sweets and why they will always have a special place in our hearts.
Ricciarelli
Like most Italians, we consider ourselves biscotti experts, and this special variety of soft almond biscuits is traditionally associated with Christmas. Originally from Siena, the recipe for Ricciarelli is believed to date back to around the 14th century, and they are still prepared with a few simple ingredients such as almond paste, sugar and egg whistles. With their signature diamond shape, Ricciarelli are light, airy, and the perfect sweet treat to serve at festive gatherings alongside coffee or dessert wine like Vin Santo.
Whether you make them at home or buy them from a heritage confectioner or artisan like Nannini in Siena, Ricciarelli are the ultimate festive season biscotti, and no house should be without them.
Panforte
With a dense texture and unmistakable combination of sweetness and spice, panforte is one festive sweet with a history that’s as rich as its flavour. This sticky spiced ‘cake’ also originates from Siena and is said to date back to Renaissance times, when it was prepared as an ideal food for travellers and soldiers because of its longevity (hence the name ‘strong bread’). Made with honey, nuts, candied fruit and a mix of spices, one bite of this festive treat reveals complex and exotic flavours that reflect its historical status as a sweet treat that was also baked for wealthy families during the Christmas period.
Today, panforte remains a symbol of Siena’s culinary traditions, but it’s also a popular festive sweet widely enjoyed across Italy and all over the world. It’s chewy, comforting, and impossible to stop at just one piece
Torrone
Another festive season treat we love to sink our teeth into is torrone (the Italian version of nougat); a staple in the dessert spread. From northern Italy to the south, Torrone is loved by all generations, and different regions each have their own variation on the sweet, and different stories relating to its origin.
While the traditional recipe for torrone consists of honey, egg white, almonds and other nuts, there are many different varieties made across Italy today, including those with the decadent addition of chocolate (our favourite!) For the torrone super-fans, the city of Cremona (Lombardia) hosts its annual Festa del Torrone in November, where this glorious sweet is celebrated with special events and displays, historical reenactments, and lots to go around for tasting!
Panettone
We can’t talk about traditional festive foods without mentioning the world-famous dome-shaped panettone. Associated with the joy and abundance of sharing during Christmas and the New Year period, the origins of Panettone are believed to date back to the Renaissance when it was considered a special delicacy due to its expensive ingredients like butter and sugar. For most of us, panettone has been a household festive staple since for as long as we can remember.
While its traditional recipe remains largely unchanged – featuring candied fruits, raisins and vanilla – panettone is known and loved all over the world as an iconic Italian festive food that makes a perfect centrepiece for the table. On a side note, is it even an Italian Christmas without leftover panettone to enjoy with a cup of coffee in the days following? We think not!
If all this sweet talk doesn’t get you excited for a DolcISSIMO festive spread with plenty of traditional dolci Italiani, we don’t know what will! And if you need a head start or a helping hand, our ISSIMO Christmas Sweets Box takes the hard work out of sourcing the finest Italian sweet treats for your events, celebrations and gift lists.
