Start with something simple. Try an Italian dessert bread for something quick and versatile. Peel, core and slice two apples. Set them in a greased casserole dish and sprinkle them with sugar. Pour 2 tbsp. of white wine over the apples. Cover with four slices of thick white bread with the crust removed. Mix 1 1/4 cups cream with 1/4 cup sugar, orange rind, and two eggs and pour the mixture over the bread. Let it soak for 30 minutes and then bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Simplify a traditional Italian dessert. If tiramisu has always seemed daunting, try this modified version. You will need 16 oz. mascarpone (brought to room temperature), 1 cup custard or vanilla pudding, pound cake, 3/4 cup espresso, 1/2 oz. Kahlua, sifted cocoa powder, and a bar of chocolate. Cut the pound cake into biscotti-like strips. Mix the Kahlua and the espresso and let it cool. Beat the mascarpone until it is fluffy. Fold in the custard. Spoon some of this mixture into the base of a serving tray. Quickly dip strips of pound cake into the espresso mixture. Place the strips of cake on top of the mascarpone mixture. Add more mascarpone and another layer of cake strips. Top with mascarpone and sprinkled cocoa powder. Use a carrot peeler or a grater to shave the chocolate bar for a garnish. Chill the tiramisu before serving.

Use a simple ingredient and dress it up with sauce. This is an authentic Italian approach to desserts, exemplified by this recipe for berries with white-chocolate amaretto sauce. Try to use fresh raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries whenever possible. You will need 1/2 cup heavy cream, five oz. chopped white chocolate, and one tbsp. Amaretto liqueur. Wash the berries and let them dry. Spread them on a cookie sheet in one layer. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer just long enough to begin to freeze the berries. Remove the berries and place them in dessert cups. For the sauce, mix the cream, chocolate and Amaretto in the top of a double boiler. Fill one-quarter of a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Set the double boiler on the saucepan and reduce the heat to simmer. Heat the cream and chocolate mixture until the chocolate melts, stirring frequently. When the sauce is warm, pour it on the berries and serve.

Cleanse the palate with an Italian ice. Start with a pint of fresh, trimmed strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp. lemon juice and about 10 ice cubes. Chill a 10-inch metal cake pan. Blend the strawberries and lemon juice with the sugar until it is dissolved. Mix in the ice cubes and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the chilled cake pan and freeze for half an hour. Mash the mixture and spoon it into dessert bowls. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Pair your desserts with a beverage. Try an Italian dessert wine such as a Vio Santo from Tuscany or Trentino. Piedemont also makes a sparkling Moscato d'Asti and a red Brachetto d'Aqui, a perfect complement to dark chocolate. Another option is to brew a strong cappuccino to accompany dessert.