Sure, the pizza, pasta, and all the savory eatables are super yummy. But a trip to Rome is simply incomplete if you do not try the iconic desserts that the city has to offer. Follow this list of handpicked sweet delights to get yourself a sweet-dish experience like no other.
25 Best Desserts You Must Try Out in Rome
1. Tiramisu
Tiramisu is an authentic Italian classic dessert that hits you in the right spot. Savoiardi biscuits doused in coffee, layers of grand Mascarpone cheese, and rich cocoa powder dusted on top — a dessert really cannot get any better than this.
2. Crostata Di Ricotta E Visciole
This is a type of pie that is wildly popular in Rome. Starring elements such as the soft Ricotta cheese and the sharp visciole (or cherry), this dessert has the perfect amount of sweetness which appeals to even those who do not particularly like sweet dishes.
3. Biscotti
Also known as Cantucci, Biscotti is the Italian variety of almond biscuits. This treat is originally from the Tuscan city of Prato. Biscotti are twice-baked, have an oblong shape and a great crunchy texture. Pair it with a drink, especially Vin Santo, and you have yourself an enjoyable evening snack.
4. Torta Di Mele
Torta di Mele essentially refers to an apple pie that is in the form of a cake. Although the basic flavours are native to England, Rome adopted this divinely sweet item and tweaked it with soft, juicy apples with a fantastic consistency that is all too similar to a custard.
5. Crostata Di Visciole
This is basically Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole, minus the ricotta cheese. Visciole is a variety of cherries that is tiny, really sour, and somewhat translucent. Even in Rome, these cherries aren’t available in abundance, so finding a Crostata di Visciole can be pretty tricky. But when you do find it, it would definitely be worth it.
6. Pasticcini
Commonly served as an accompaniment to beverages such as coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, Pasticcini is an assortment of desserts. Derived from the term for dough or pasta, this dish features fine pastries such as variations of cream puffs, creamed horns, fruit tarts, and so on.
7. Gelato
Gelato shops, or Gelateries as they are called, can be found in every corner of Italy. They are raging popular, mainly because they experiment with remarkably interesting flavors. Believe it or not, Tiramisu, rum raisin, raspberry and cream, sesame-banana, rice-vanilla, and banana-lime are only some of the very many unique combinations you can try.
8. Granita Al Caffe
The name of this dish can be roughly translated as Coffee Granita. Granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, ice, and additional flavors. Italians love to experiment with Granita by venturing into combinations such as lemon, chocolate, fig, etc. Granita al Caffe is one such product, featuring coffee-flavored Granita with a luxurious topping of whipped cream and the accompaniment of sweet buns.
9. Torrone
Torrone, locally known as Turron, is a nougat confection that is quite popular in Rome. Featuring ingredients such as honey, sugar, egg whites, and toasted almonds, this dish is often served in the form of a cake.
10. Millefogile
Millefoglie, or Mille Feuille, literally translates to “thousand sheets.” Also known as Napoleon, or Vanilla Slice, this is a classic dessert revolving around extremely thin puff pastry and rich cream filling. It is flaky, airy, and feather-light despite having fat layers of cream and jam.
11. Cannoli
Cannoli is a traditional Sicilian treat and is so yum that it can be found easily throughout Italy. It is a pastry that has a tube-like shape. Filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate chip, or at times, candied fruits, it is dusted with powdered sugar as a classic sweet finale.
12. Tartufo
Fair warning- once you taste this highly indulgent dessert, there is absolutely no turning back. A literal heaven for chocolate lovers, Tartufo consists of ice cream that is hand-rolled and generously covered in cocoa powder, giving it a cool, rustic look. You can find Tartufo to be either featuring dark chocolate or white chocolate.
13. Torta Caprese
If there exists a separate paradise for chocolate lovers, it probably resembles the iconic Torta Caprese of Italy. This is an amazingly rich dessert in the form of chocolate and almond cake. It is so moist and chocolatey that merely the first bite would make you forget all of your sorrows.
14. Cornetto
A close cousin of the Parisian Croissant, Cornetto is a quirky dish highly popular as a breakfast item in Italy. It is nice and dense and has quite a few varieties- dusted with sugar, glazed with sticky sweet syrup, or stuffed with fillings such as Nutella, marmalade, or pastry cream.
15. Pastiera Napoletana
Native to Naples, Pastiera Napoletana is a tart that is made using boiled wheat, ricotta cheese, and eggs. Sunshine-golden filling, which has hints of cinnamon and orange flower, is concealed by a crisp pastry on the outside. The flavours of this tart are so unique that the dessert is adopted by almost every other bakery in Italy.
16. Sicilian Cassata
This is a traditional cake characterized by an incredibly moist round sponge. The moistness is brought about by fresh fruit juice and/or liqueur. Hearty layers of ricotta cheese and candied fruit only add to the deliciousness of this yummy cake.
17. Panna Cotta
This is, quite simply, one of the best desserts you will ever try in Italy. It stars sweet cream that is thickened with gelatin and moulded into a cylinderesque shape. The cream has hints of flavours such as vanilla or coffee, which are simply too good to be true.
18. Castagne
Nothing screams Christmas in Rome as loud as these peppy roasted chestnuts called Castagne. Every other street in the entire city hosts vendors that sell this winter-time seasonal delicacy. May it be candied ones or the simple roasted ones, you should definitely try Castagne when in Rome.
19. Profiteroles
In Rome, instead of the regular cream puffs, look for this fun treat called Profiteroles. They are small choux pastry balls deliciously filled with ingredients such as whipped cream, custard, or vanilla ice cream. Some patisseries serve these delights with warm chocolate sauce, and that is a combination you just cannot have enough of.
20. Crème Caramel
Crème Caramel is also known by the names Flan and Caramel Custard around the world. It is a custard dessert that has a glaze of smooth, clear caramel sauce over the top. With a pleasant vanilla flavor lingering on your tongue from the soft custard, depend on Crème caramel for putting you in a good mood any day.
21. Sfogliatella
Sfogliatella literally translates to “small, thin leaf.” Native to Campania, it is a shell-shaped Italian pastry that has a decadent filling inside. The pastry’s texture gives it the appearance of a stack of leaves, hence the name.
22. Ciambelline Al Vino
Also known as Ubriachelle in Rome, which means “drunk ones,” Ciambelline al vino is a type of cookie. Fennel or anise seeds are soaked in wine for at least an hour to prepare this special cookie. Ciambelline al vino has an intoxicating fragrance that you won’t easily forget.
23. Gelato Cake
This is a fancy cake that one just cannot get enough of. Ice cream cakes are fantastic as they are, but add the rich, super smooth gelato to the equation, and the result is an amazing Gelato Cake that makes every other cake seem dull and unexciting.
24. Vin Santo E Cantucci
We know what Vin Santo is and understand what Cantucci is. Pair them together, and you have yourself Vin Santo e Cantucci, a quick dessert of wine and biscotti.
25. Frappe
Not to be confused with the beverage of the same name, Frappe is an egg-sugar-flour-based snack found in Italy typically during the carnival period, which is approximately from January to Easter. These long, flat titbits feature alcohol, namely Vin Santo, which evaporates during the process of cooking.
If you are looking for a great dessert adventure, then Rome boasts of an absolute sweet parade that you should unquestionably participate in.
Read also – 27 Best Desserts You Must Try Out in London
