Holiday Ayo - Italy is a country famous for its cuisine. From delicious pizza and pasta to world-famous cheese and award-winning wines, there’s so much to offer. But let’s not forget about Italy’s mouthwatering desserts and pastries too.

Whether it’s to accompany your morning coffee, a mid-afternoon snack, or a delicious dessert to round off a great meal, there are countless types of Italian pastries to choose from. Which makes narrowing down this list of ‘best’ an extremely difficult job.

1. Cannoli

source: Flavours Holidays

Every list of Italian pastries has to include the classic cannoli. Arguably Italy’s most famous dessert, cannoli can be eaten at any time of day, even for breakfast.

Cannoli are tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet, creamy filling that usually contains ricotta – the popular Italian whey cheese (don’t worry – it’s nothing like the ultra-savoury Parmesan). The ends of cannoli are sometimes sprinkled with chocolate, candied fruit, or nuts.

The Italian cream filled pastry originated from the Island of Sicily. They supposedly date back to the 9th century, while Sicily was under Arab rule. You can find cannoli in cafes and restaurants all across the world these days. But the very best are still found in their home country of Italy.

2. Sfogliatella

source: Food & Wine

Sfogliatella is a shell-shaped layered pastry, with a sweet custard-like filling made with semolina, ricotta, and candied citrus fruit. You can also find versions with other fillings such as a simple whipped cream, almond paste, or chocolate cream.

There are two main styles of sfogliatella – riccia and frolla. Riccia means “curly” and is the original version made with flaky, layered pastry. This style is best when freshly baked and hot out of the oven to get its famous crunch. Frolla features a less labour-intensive shortcrust pastry shell, so doesn’t have sfogliatella’s signature thin layers. But it’s still delicious and can be eaten hot or cold.

3. Maritozzo

source: PORTA

A maritozzo is an ancient delicacy from Rome consisting of a sweet brioche bun split down the middle and filled with whipped cream. It may be extremely simple, but it’s one of the most popular Italian breakfast pastries in the Lazio region.

The name maritozzo derives from the word “marito” which is Italian for “husband”. It comes from a unique tradition in 19th-century Rome, in which men would propose on the first Friday of March by presenting their future brides with an engagement ring hidden inside a maritozzo.

4. Bomboloni

source: Jawa Pos

Bomboloni are light and fluffy deep-fried Italian doughnuts. Their name comes from the Italian word “bomba,” meaning “bomb,” to describe their small grenade-like shape.

These delicious Italian doughnuts originate from the Tuscany region. Traditional bomboloni were dusted with icing sugar and enjoyed on the beach and during carnival season.

Today, Bomboloni are made all across Italy with oozy fillings of crema pasticcera (custard creme), jam, or Nutella. They can be eaten as breakfast, a snack or as dessert.

5. Chiacchiere

source: Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures

Chiacchiere are another traditional Italian carnival pastry, consisting of strips of sweet dough that puff up slightly when fried and are served dusted with powdered sugar. Chiacchiere – also called “Angel Wings” – are known for their signature rectangular shape with two slits down the middle and crimped edges. They’re delicate, crumbly, and incredibly addictive.

Chiacchiere are one of the most famous Italian pastries enjoyed all across the country during carnival (just before lent). They can go by different names depending on the region you’re in; bugie in Liguria, frappe in Lazio, or cenci in Tuscany.