Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma: Cookbook and Recipe Review

Two of my favorite kinds of food are Italian food and dessert. It's no surprise then that I was drawn to this great book of Italian desserts. I'm not generally a fan of dessert cookbooks. They are usually filled with standards (do I really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe?) or things so strange I'm afraid to try them. Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma features dessert recipes from Mario Batali's New York City restaurant Babbo. The recipes occupy a perfect middle ground between old standards and experimental flops. While many of the recipes are Italian classics, they will be new to many American taste buds. These recipes have been vetted by generations of Italian grandmothers, so even though the recipes are new to you, they have survived the test of time.

De Palma's presentation of the recipes is one of the most enjoyable parts of the book. Each recipe is accompanied by a few comments from De Palma about the history of the dessert, the region of Italy in which it is popular, or an anecdote or two about the dessert's importance to the author. Unlike some other cookbooks, this is not a travel book or a memoir, but the stories and information are a welcome addition.A paragraph or two long, each introduction is well-written and does not distract from the recipes.

The recipes are clearly written and broken down into easy to follow steps, but this is not a book that will teach you how to bake. If you don't know the basics (how to cream butter and sugar, fold in dry ingredients, etc.) then you might want to look for a more general book. If you've got some very basic baking knowledge, you should be able to easily put together all of the recipes in this book. Any techniques that are strange or ingredients that are hard to find merit separate 'lessons' alongside the main text. There is also a list of vendors at the end of the book if you live somewhere, like I do, where the occasional exotic ingredient is hard to find.

The desserts themselves are truly terrific. Each of the over 100 recipes introduces the American palette to classic Italian combinations of flavors. Nuts, citrus, chocolate, and spice all work together to make delicious cookies, cakes, and tarts.

The Almond Fingers (Ditti di mandorle), made of a shortbread-like base with lemon and almonds, are jaw-droppingly good. They baked off beautifully and the almond flour lent them a chewiness not often found in shortbread cookies. The end result is a light cookie that delivers just enough sweetness to satisfy. They are a great accompaniment to an afternoon cup of coffee and I can't wait to add them to my annual try of holiday cookies.

Other recipes include Yogurt Cheesecake, Mosaic Biscotti, Sweet Grape Focaccia, and Florentine Doughnuts. The Zucchini and Olive Oil Cake is a great take on zucchini bread. Your guests or family will love the change and beg you for the recipe. Many, though not all, recipes are featured in 32 stunning, full-page color photos. The photography is of a very high quality and the pictures highlight the finished product very well.

As a whole, this is an excellent dessert book. It features large sections on cookies (including a few biscotti you won't see at your local coffee shop), cakes, spoon desserts (creams, mouses, etc), ice creams, tarts, fruits, and a few others. The recipes are not crowded and each is nicely presented on its own page. This book is not only a good addition to your own collection, but would be loved by anyone who is a fan of cooking and baking. It does not disappoint.