Stories of Bolognese sweetness: between memories, flavors and traditions
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There is a very sweet thread that runs through time and smells of good things. It is that of traditional Bolognese desserts: recipes that tell stories of family, village festivals, peasant customs. Behind every powdered sugar and every spoonful of mustard, there is a small world made of ancient gestures, patience and so much love.
🍚 Rice Cake: the Decorations' Sweet
It has been prepared for centuries and is still indispensable on special occasions. Rice cake is a symbol of Bologna, linked to the feast of Corpus Domini, when the buildings were adorned with the famous “addobbi”. Hence the name “Torta degli Addobbi”, a dessert rich in aromas and memories.
The ingredients are few but noble: rice, milk, eggs, sugar, almonds and liqueur. What makes this recipe unique is the perfect balance between creaminess and intensity, and that soft texture that immediately makes you feel at home. A slice is a little journey into the Bologna of the fifteenth century... and today you can still enjoy it, perhaps choosing a version prepared with artisanal passion like we do at Lina Sapori e Delizie.
🍬 Zuccherini montanari: the sweet of happy weddings
They come from Monghidoro and bring with them the scent of the Apennines. Zuccherini montanari are small, crumbly biscuits, glazed with aniseed sugar. They were once prepared for weddings, to be given as a wish of happiness to the newlyweds.
Today, you can also find them on other special occasions, carefully packaged like a little treasure to share. They are sweets that make you smile, that tell of skilled hands and family Sundays.
Take a look at the ones we have prepared
classic mountain sugar cookies HERE
sugary mountain snowballs HERE
sugary mountain morsels HERE
🌿 Raviole: the sweets hanging from the trees
Yes, you read that right! In Bologna, for the feast of San Giuseppe, ravioli were hung from trees as edible decorations. Imagine a flowering hedge, and among the branches… crescent-shaped biscuits filled with Bolognese mustard.
Raviole are made of shortcrust pastry and a heart of dark, dense, fragrant jam. Some people like them plain and some prefer them brushed with alchermes. Whatever your version of the heart, it remains a symbol of popular sweetness, the kind that is passed down in silence, one bite at a time.
Take a look at the ones we have prepared
sweet ravioli bolognese HERE
sweet two-tone ravioli HERE
🍐 Mostarda bolognese: don't call it spicy!
Anyone who thinks that mostarda is just mustard has never tasted mostarda bolognese . Here we are talking about a rich jam, made with mixed fruit (apples, pears, figs, orange peel...) and sugar. It has an intense and deep flavor, perfect for filling desserts such as ravioli... but also surprising with cheeses.
In our preparations, mustard is a main ingredient, a small luxury with an ancient taste. And yes, you can also find it ready, prepared with the same care as once.
🎀 A sweet tradition to savor
Every season has its own scents, but spring – with its celebrations and the awakening of nature – is the perfect time to rediscover the authentic flavors of the past. If you like, you can bring them to the table with the desserts we prepare: made as they once were, with true love.
Because some stories aren't just meant to be told... they're meant to be tasted.