Palermo: segreti golosi della pasticceria scoperti

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A Palermo, the capital city of Sicily, there is a strong tradition of pastry and sweet treats. The locals have become connoisseurs of cakes, pastries, and all kinds of desserts, resulting in the presence of numerous highy pastry shops and bars in the city. Giosuè Rizzuto, a Sicilian expert, has helped map the best pastry shops in Palermo, focusing on aesthetic perfection and taste. While there is a wide variety of sweet treats available throughout the year, the best time to indulge in cannoli, cassatas, and ricottah Easter but enjoyed all year round. Creating the perfect cassata requires skillful dosing and assembling of just a few ingredients, such as sheep’s ricotta, sponge cake, icing, sugar, chocolate, marzipan, and candied fruit. Oscar was the first pastry shop in Palermo to create liqueurh sponge cake, chocolate, and cream. They are also famous for the fried Iris, a bombolone filled with ricotta and chocolate chips, which is as satisfying as a meal. For those who prefer a milder dessert, they offer a baked version that delivers the same delightful taste.

Pasticceria Costa represents the second generation of a familyion. They use locally sourced ingredients, such as almonds from Avola for marzipan fruits and bucellato, sheep’s ricotta from the Madonie, and the Sicilian sun to dry figs. The pastry shop is known for its lemon log, but it is worth mentioning its crostata al gelo di mellone, a tart covered in jasmine flowers and chocolate or sealed with pastry crust. The gelo, a kind of gelatin, is prepared using cinnamon, jasmine, cornstarch, and absolute artistry. Their new location in Via Maqueda features original frescoes and a sixe cakes and pastries, embracing Palermo’s tradition of regal hospitality.

Pasticceria Cappello has elevated chocolate to a prominent position by offering the famous Setteveli cake, renamed Settestrati. This cake pays homage to the victory of the Italian Pastry Academy at the 1997 Olympics and is expertly reimagined by Salvatore Cappello, a master chocolatier. The Settestrati consists of seven layers of chocolate with varying textures and blends. At the bakery, two generations work side by side: Salvatore, the artisan, and his son Giovanni, who has brought a more contemporary style to the business. Pasticceria Cappello is the only place where one can still taste the Gelato di Campagna, a sugar log colored with cinnamon, chocolate, and pistachio, served in slices during the celebration of Santa Rosalia but now rarely found. The cannoli filled with fresh ricotta are served alongside fruit tarts and the Pistacchiosa cake, bridging the sweet gap between the past and the present.