Dolci!

Starred review from May 1, 2024

Poliafito is a two-time James Beard nominee and the current owner of the Brooklyn bakery Ciao, Gloria. Rather than choose between Italian and American sweet treats, Poliafito (who has authored four prior cookbooks with Baked cofounder Matt Lewis, including Baked: New Frontiers in Baking) picks both as the culinary source material for his latest cookbook, which was written with Elsass, a recipe developer and the coauthor of Second Generation: Hungarian and Jewish Classics Reimagined for the Modern Table. Containing almost 100 recipes, this volume offers everything from sweet morning treats like tricolore bomboloni and American cinnamon rolls to savory snacks like mozzarella in carrozza and polenta crackers. Tried-and-true Italian favorites like cantucci and stuffoli make welcome appearances, and Poliafito also includes some of his own ingenious takes on classic sweets, like an Aperol spritz cake and Bacioni, in which he pays homage to Italy's beloved Baci chocolates. Introductory notes to each recipe help set the stage and provide fun context, while the easily digestible formatting of the recipes encourages even novice bakers to give this fabulous cookbook a whirl. VERDICT This inventive, inspiring, and sweetly indulgent cookbook will earn its own well-deserved spot in bakers' kitchens, alongside Nick Malgieri's Great Italian Desserts, Silver Spoon Kitchen's The Italian Bakery, and Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano.--John Charles

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 6, 2024
James Beard nominee Poliafito (Baked) draws from “that part of me that lives in the in-between,” where Italian, Italian American, and American food cultures intersect, in this heartfelt collection. The roughly 100 sweet and savory recipes are sorted into breakfast bakes; cookies, bars, and biscotti; pies, tarts, and crostatas; breads and snacks; cocktails; pastries; cakes; frozen treats; granitas and puddings; and foundational recipes like pasta frolla. Among the standouts are a tri-color almond-enriched spumoni loaf and a dazzling chestnut puree–domed monte bianco. Less successful are the strained attempts to Italianize American classics, including honey-ricotta black and white cookies and tiramisu-inspired Rice Krispie treats. Still, there’s much to like in this gorgeously photographed work, including an orange zest-spiked chocolate-filled brioche, a decadent pistachio lemon cake, and enticing savory bakes such as caponata bombas. Poliafito promotes measuring by weight, but also writes his recipes in volumes for those without kitchen scales. This beautifully written paeon to the author’s hyphenated background will please home bakers who are up for a challenge.

May 15, 2024
Those who can't make it to Brooklyn's Ciao, Gloria bakery for fresh Italian American goodies can at least try their hand at these eclectic pastries at home. Bakery owner, Poliafito, melds traditions from his New York upbringing with recipes that he studied in the land of his Sicilian and Italian forebears. While offering recipes for classics like brioche con tuppo, mostaccioli (cookies), and minne di Sant'Agata, Dolci! sets itself apart with a fresh take on employing beloved Italian flavors in American sweets. Mouthwatering cinnamon rolls get dolled up with a touch of orange blossom water, pumpkin bread is laced with Nutella, and black-and-white cookies receive Sicilian-infused treatment with honey and ricotta. While buns, biscotti, crostatas, cake, gelato, and granita dominate the recipe catalog, a hearty section devoted to savories and street snacks features a chic 'nduja pizzette, caponata-stuffed bombas, and panelle (chickpea pancake) fries. Sophisticated photography takes readers to piazzas, Mediterranean rooftops, and Sicilian seascapes, making this another fine recommendation to armchair travelers as well as inspired bakers.

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