Amaretto suave, galletas canestrelli, baci di dama (besos de dama) y otras maravillas de La Sassellese

The soft amaretto, a slightly flattened round pastry with an unmistakable, pleasantly bitter taste, is a magic of sugar, almonds, and egg whites. A simple and historic recipe, born in Sassello, in the hinterland of the province of Savona, bordering Piedmont. A village nestled in nature and rich in history, it was the first to receive the Touring Club's Orange Flag, which recognizes small towns that have chosen to grow sustainably while protecting the environment and their traditions. Like the soft amaretto, in fact, which is now known worldwide thanks to artisanal industries like Aziende Dolciarie Riunite SpA and its brand, so dear to us lovers of regional specialties: La Sassellese.

The Sassellese

A brand with a strong connection to its territory, with a rich history that began sixty years ago in a factory of just over a thousand square meters. Now, it boasts over 7,000 square meters across three plants, one of which opened in 2022 despite the challenges of the pandemic. In these plants, Adr Spa covers almost half of its production energy needs thanks to photovoltaic systems, and new technologies have also minimized the use of plastic. Yet, despite the innovation, Adr has always maintained its tradition of production, offering us fresh and fragrant products, typical of Liguria and the nearby Piedmont: sublime indulgences, but not only that.

The soft amaretto, and not only

The soft amaretto, a cornerstone of La Sassellese, is still made without preservatives and with a fragrant mixture of sugar, almonds, and egg whites. And, as tradition dictates, it's wrapped in colored paper like candy. But after the amaretti came the soft amarettini (the smaller version), the multi-flavored amaretti flavored with rum and fruit, and the equally delicious chocolate amaretti.

The kisses of Sassello

Chocolate is a story within a story, one that speaks volumes about La Sassellese's careful approach to sustainability: they use only Rainforest Alliance-certified chocolate, which is produced according to the highest environmental standards, guaranteeing the highest quality. It's instantly recognizable. Also try the baci di Sassello: an even richer version of the iconic baci di Dama, a traditional Piedmontese treat. Between two biscuits made with the prized Piedmont Hazelnut IGP, La Sassellese has created a perfect "kiss" by generously bundling them with chocolate: it melts in your mouth.

The little baskets

You've probably also tried canestrellino: the mini version of the classic Ligurian Easter cookie. La Sassellese's are another staple in the pantries of many Italians (and others) year-round because they're perfect, incredibly crumbly, and particularly pleasing to the palate, with the powdered sugar remaining intact on the pastry because it's dusted immediately after baking. A must-have: the company produces 1,600,000 kilos of them each year. They also make equally tempting variations: chocolate canestrelli, and then regular canestrelli, in the chocolate chip and hazelnut versions. They also offer canestrelli with no added sugar, and—try it and believe it—they're just as delicious.

The “sugar-free” line from La Sassellese

The sugar-free canestrelli are one of the specialties of a special line the company created for those who can't eat too much sugar, those who prefer to reduce it, and those who enjoy variety. The same line also includes the Nuvoletti: inspired by the traditional amaretti recipe, with no added sugar, a soft and fragrant center, a delicate golden crust, and, as always, gluten-free.