Category: Sweet/Dessert
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Venetian Butter Cookies (Bussolai Buranei)
The Venetian butter cookies that you’ve been longing to hear about Last year we went for a trip to Venice, and I suddenly realized that the time has drifted away and I’ve told you nothing yet about our time there! So, today I’m going to rectify that. Sorry that I’ve kept you in…
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Strawberry Tart with Italian Crema
A hankering for strawberry tart Strawberries are everywhere right now, except in my garden. At the moment I have lots of plants, some of which have flowers, but nary a strawberry in sight. I’m hoping that they’re just being coy and will start popping out strawberries galore at any time now. As soon…
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Elsie’s Fingers (Sugar-Rolled Biscuits)
Bringing back a traditional NZ cookie These biscuits from New Zealand, called Elsie’s Fingers, are a very old (as far as history goes for New Zealand!) cookie that was an integral part of the childhood of anyone born before the 80’s. I remember often snacking on Elsie’s Fingers for afternoon tea when I…
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Ginger Slice from New Zealand
A classic square from the annuals of my childhood cookbook I’m back from New Zealand and, after a week of sleepless nights, finally over the jet-lag! While I was there, my mother made ginger slice, which whisked me back to my childhood faster than that Back to the Future dude went all over…
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Pavlova: The Monster Meringue from New Zealand
The Big Debate About Pavlova So, already with the title I wrote “Pavlova: the Giant Meringue from New Zealand”, I’ve made any Australians reading this fume and yell at their computer screens, “But it comes from AUSTRALIA , not New Zealand!!!”. Welcome to the secret Cold War between New Zealand and Australia! Each…
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Crumiri (Crunchy Cornmeal Cookies)
Crumiri and cappuccino: a breakfast made in heaven! Whenever I am in Turin, one of the first things I do on the first morning I’m there is go to the bar and drink a cappuccino (of course!) and grab a biscuit to munch on that is made with polenta flour. The cracking of…
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Peanut, Coconut, And Chocolate Square
A recipe from way back when This recipe for peanut square is an childhood favourite of mine from New Zealand. My mother used to make it regularly. She modified it from a recipe published in the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers Cookbook. It’s not as posh as it sounds. It was an important…
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Tiramisu: The Italian Dessert That Gives You a Lift!
An Italian blog can’t be Italian without a tiramisu recipe Well, I had to do it, didn’t I? I can’t really say that I have a blog about Italian food without this recipe. What’s the best known Italian dessert outside Italy after gelato? You’ve got it! Tiramisu! Strangely, tiramisu is one of the…
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Anzac Biscuits: New Zealand Can’t Live Without Them!
Why Anzac cookies are called Anzac cookies Along the theme of New Zealand recipes, I bring you Anzac biscuits! You may have already seen my post on banana cake, another Kiwi stalwart. As a kid, Anzac biscuits were one of the staples of my afternoon tea when I came home after school. Anzac…
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Banana Cake
Banana cake is my favourite! What’s yours? I figured that I’ve been giving Italian recipes a pretty good run on my blog, so now it’s time to add a few from New Zealand to balance the “Kiwi” bit of “Italian Kiwi”. The first recipe I want to share with you is one which…
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Apricot Cake
The best apricot cake I’ve ever made One more week of the school holidays to go. At this time of the year I always have mixed feelings: sad, as it’s so nice just to hang out with the kids and not have to rush anywhere, but also happy, because I’ll have more time…
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Cantuccini (The Original “Biscotti” from Tuscany)
What “biscotti” are called in Italy Yes, I know I just put up another almond biscuit recipe recently, but honestly, I bought a lot of almonds when I made the marzapani, so they have to be used up. This is a recipe for classic Tuscan biscuits called cantuccini or cantucce. Cantuccini are the grandmother of the…
