Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts
The Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts cookbook by Maria Bruscino Sanchez shares recipes for Italian and Italian-American casual and classic cookies, cakes and tarts. I have made cookie recipes from this Italian desserts cookbook so far such as Orange Drop Cookies and Amaretti, but the Fig and Walnut Biscotti recipe is one of my favourites.
Traditional, Classic and Holiday Italian Desserts
After the Introduction to ingredients, equipment and basic baking techniques, there are chapters that include recipes for Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Tarts, Pastry, Sweet Breads, Frozen Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Other Favourites and Dessert Sauces.
These chapters include well-written and easy to follow that include traditional recipes made with fresh and available ingredients such as:
Orange Drop Cookies (Anginetti d’Arancia), Amaretti, Traditional Cannoli, Sicilian Cassata, Tiramisu, Rum Sponge Cakes, Specialty Sweet Breads such as Panetttone and Pan di Pasqua, Polenta Cake, Italian cheesecakes, Fruit Tarts, and the festive Christmas Tart (Crostata di Natale) with a sweet cranberry and walnut filling, English Trifle with Strawberries and Marsala, and Neapolitan Cake.
Fig and Walnut Biscotti Recipe
Fig and Walnut Biscotti, one of the Italian fig cookie recipe found in the Cookies chapter, is a mixture of figs and walnuts scented with cinnamon making your kitchen smell heavenly while baking them. I make these biscotti every year during the holidays They make an impressive addition to any holiday gift basket or holiday table.
- 1 1l2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup walnut halves
- ⅔ cup coarsely chopped dried figs
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, salt, walnuts, and figs. Stir until blended. Make a well in the center.
- In a separate bowl, mix the 2 eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk. Add the eggs to the well. Stir with a wooden spoon. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until dough is blended.
- Divide dough in half. Roll into two loaves, about 12 inches long. Place the loaves on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart.
- In a small bowl, beat remaining egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg on top of the fig and walnut loaves.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven.
- Carefully remove hot fig and walnut loaves from the cookie sheet and place on a cutting board. While warm, slice the loaves diagonally into ½-inch-wide slices.
- Place slices in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Return to oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove cookies sheet from the oven. Cool fig and walnut toasted biscotti on wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Cookbook shelf worthy?
Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts: Classic and Casual Recipes for Cookies, Cakes, Pastry, and Other Favorites
Sweet Maria’s Bakery
Maria is the owner of Sweet Maria’s Bakery located in Conneticut where she and her family bake Italian desserts daily and offer all occasion cakes, cookie trays and corporate gifts.
Product Details
Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts
Author: Maria Bruscino Sanchez.
Softcover: 159 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, LLC
ISBN: 978-0312241339
Acknowledgement
Fig and Walnut Biscotti Recipe from SWEET MARIA’S ITALIAN DESSERTS, by Maria Bruscino Sanchez. Copyright © 2008 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press, LLC.
Disclosure
The Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts cookbook was sent to me by St. Martin’s Press, LLC. All the opinions are my own.
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What a wonderful review! I absolutely agree with you Liliana. I’ve also had this cookbook for a few years. If you like baking, this is a must. Thanks for sharing ❤️
Thanks Maria. I agree. Sweet Maria’s Italian Desserts should part of every baker’s cookbook collection.