Many recipes have baking ingredients considered common food allergens and may cause allergic reactions. Request free copy of "Caution - Food Allergies" below.
Fresh All-Purpose flour is the gold standard for baking.
Farina 00 is Italy's all-purpose flour. Almond Flour is used in some recipes.
Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pistachios, Pine Nuts and Walnuts, oh my!
Generously used in Italian cookies, they can go rancid quickly due to high oil content. Best to store nuts in the freezer till ready to bake to keep them fresh.
Italians have been making fresh Chocolate from cocoa beans & sugar since the 6th century. The percentage of cocoa tells what portion comes from cocoa beans. The higher the number, the more intense the chocolate taste (but less sweet).
Used in baking since 4000 BC, sweet taste, nutritional value & long shelf life. Italians bake with Apricots, Coconut, Cranberries, Dates, Figs and the ever popular Raisin.
Dried fruit boosts texture & moisture in baked goods. High in fiber, low in fat.
Preserves: cooked & gelled whole fruit.
Jams: cut or crushed fruit, heated with water & sugar till it gels.
Jellies: Similar to jam but with extra liquid & fruit pulp removed.
Clear, sparkling, fresh fruit flavor.
Flavor isn't just an additive;
it's the absolute essence of baking!
Delighting the senses and palate without affecting the structure of baked goods.
Extracts are usually alcohol-based with intense flavors; only use a little.
Flavorings are water or oil based.
Besides Vanilla, try Almond, Anise, Citrus, Flor di Sicilia, and Liquors
Ever since Marco Polo brought exotic spices back to Venice from the Far East, Italians have loved using them in their recipes. Spices come from dried seeds, bark, fruit or roots of a plant. Allspice, Anise, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Sesame Seeds and Vanilla Beans. To intensify flavor, toast spices briefly before grinding.
No time to bake your own?
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