Must-Try Sweets From Tuscany

If you're considering a holiday in Tuscany, you have probably already started imagining all the delicious treats, food and drink that you are going to consume once you get there. Tuscany is a region of Italy, in particular, that is known for its cuisine and while the savoury dishes of Tuscany may be more familiar to most, it is a cuisine that also happens to be just rife with delicious typical desserts and sweets, many of which date back to the Middle Ages. If you've got a sweet tooth, it's the ideal part of Italy to visit. Just pick out the perfect luxury villa in Tuscany for you and yours and your particular needs and then grab a pen and paper because there are some sweets that you're going to need to track down when you arrive.

The first of these sweets that we think you'll enjoy are Amaretti di Carmignano, or Amaretti di Fochi, as they are often called, from Carmignano. These are delicious biscuits which date to the late 19th century, and were invented by Giovanni Bellini. Bellini was known as “I'Fochi” (meaning fiery) for his passionate personality and tendency towards tempers and this gave the name to his bakery and then to the biscuit. There are many similar biscuits from Italy and France but this one, in particular, is rather distinctive thanks to the particular flavour that Bellini managed to create. It immediately distinguishes this biscuit from other amaretti and macaroons. They are only slightly larger than a walnut, are amber in colour, have a characteristic rounded, lumpy, imperfect shape, are softer than other similar biscuits and smell strongly of almonds. Most importantly, they are the perfect accompaniment to a great coffee.

If you are more of a cake lover, however, Siena has just the thing. Panpepato is a typical cake from the city which has ancient origins and is typically served around Christmas but can be enjoyed throughout the year. Panpepato cake is more rustic than the more familiar Panforte, with lots of spices, giving it a strong flavour. It is probably also the oldest variation of these types of cakes and is thought to have been created at the Monastery of Corpus Domini during the 15th century. Its original name is said to have been “pan del pape” (bread of the pope). Chocolate as a layer over the whole cake was introduced in the late 19th century which differentiates it from the Christmas cakes of Emilia and Romagna and helps keep it moist through the entire holiday season.

These are just two of many sweets that you should try while visiting Tuscany. This article could only put a tiny dent in the long list of delicious treats so be sure to check out our second post with more must-tries!