Make Sicily's most famous sweets — cannoli (including fresh ricotta filling), cassata siciliana (sponge cake with ricotta and marzipan), and granita — with an experienced Sicilian pastry chef.
This three-and-a-half-hour class is devoted to Sicily's most famous sweets, led by an experienced Sicilian pastry chef who guides small groups through making cannoli, cassata siciliana, and granita from scratch. Cannoli are the highlight for most: participants learn to roll and fry the crisp shells and then fill them to order with fresh sweetened ricotta — the key to a good cannolo, since the shell is filled only just before serving to keep it crisp — finishing with candied peel or pistachio. The class also covers cassata siciliana, the elaborate festive cake of sponge soaked in liqueur, layered with sweetened ricotta, wrapped in green marzipan, and decorated with glossy fondant and candied fruit, a sweet that distils the island's Arab and Spanish influences. Granita rounds out the session, with the chef explaining how Sicilians achieve its characteristic grainy texture and the classic flavours — lemon, almond, coffee, and blood orange. The class is hands-on rather than a demonstration, so attendees do the frying, piping, and assembling themselves. The roughly €60–80 price includes all ingredients, the instruction, aprons, and tasting of everything made, with sweets to enjoy at the end and often some to take away. Groups are small for close attention, the class is run in English, and the pace is patient, as pastry rewards care. The desserts are vegetarian by nature, and the chef can usually accommodate other dietary needs, such as nut-free versions, if told in advance, though marzipan and pistachio feature heavily in cassata. Beginners are welcome, with the focus on traditional Sicilian pastry technique rather than professional speed. Because the work involves frying and precise filling, the chef demonstrates each step before participants try it. The class is held indoors, making it a good any-season or rainy-day choice, and it suits anyone with a sweet tooth or an interest in Sicily's celebrated confectionery tradition. Aprons are provided; coming with an appetite for sugar and tied-back hair is the main practical advice.
| Price | €60–80 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3.5 hours |
Weather through the year in Sicily
Best time Shoulder Worth avoiding
Average daytime temperature in °C. Figures are for Sicily.
Highlights
- Rolling, frying, and filling fresh cannoli with sweetened ricotta
- Building a cassata siciliana with marzipan and candied fruit
- Making traditional Sicilian granita in classic flavours
- Learning the secret to keeping cannoli shells crisp
- Tasting everything made, with sweets to take away
Tips for visiting
- Come with an appetite for sugar — the class ends with tasting all the sweets made.
- Ask the chef to demonstrate the cannoli frying step before trying it yourself.
- Flag nut allergies when booking; marzipan and pistachio feature heavily in cassata.
- Tie back long hair and wear comfortable closed shoes for the kitchen.
- A reliable any-weather choice, as the class is held indoors.
Frequently asked questions
Which desserts will I make?
The class covers cannoli filled with fresh ricotta, cassata siciliana with marzipan and candied fruit, and traditional Sicilian granita, all made from scratch.
Why are the cannoli filled at the end?
The shells are filled with ricotta only just before serving so they stay crisp. Filling them in advance makes them soggy, a key technique the chef teaches.
Can the class accommodate allergies?
The desserts are vegetarian, and the chef can usually adjust for other needs with notice, though nut allergy sufferers should note that marzipan and pistachio are central to cassata.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. The class welcomes all levels, with the chef demonstrating each step before participants try it, focusing on traditional technique rather than speed.