When it comes to delicious, decadent desserts, the Italians have it mastered. Show me an Italian dessert, and I will show you an empty plate very quickly. Italians tend to think beyond the traditional cakes, cookies and pies that Americans have grown accustomed to. Italian desserts have unique textures and flavor profiles and are prepared with ingredients that blend to produce a dessert that is nothing but extraordinary. Here are some of the most delicious, decadent Italian desserts that I have had the pleasure of trying:

1. Tiramisu. This is a classic Italian dessert made with layers of ladyfingers and mascarpone. The ladyfingers are soaked with espresso, and the mascarpone is dusted with cocoa powder. All of these flavors blend perfectly to create the ultimate Italian dessert.
The result is a light and fluffy concoction that can be enjoyed even if your stomach is stuffed full of lasagna. There is always room for Tiramisu.  

2. Cannoli. This is another classic dessert that is much harder to make than it looks. The cannoli shell can be prepared ahead of time, but it must be filled with the sweet ricotta filling just before serving. If the shell is filled too early, it will get soggy. The cannoli filling is the best part of this dessert; ricotta cheese, sugar and chocolate chips make up traditional cannoli filling, but other goodies can be included with or instead of the chocolate chips.

3. Pizzelles. This is the easiest Italian dessert to make at home. A simple, sweet batter is mixed up and drizzled onto a hot Pizzelle iron, which is similar to a waffle iron. After only a minute or so, you have a delicious pizzelle that can be enjoyed with coffee or all on its own.

4. Gelato. Who could imagine that ice cream could get any better? Gelato is a type of Italian ice cream that comes in many flavors. It is richer and creamier than American ice cream. Once you try gelato, American ice cream will never taste the same.