“A bomboloncino is a golf-ball-sized version of the larger bombolone, the sort of pastry you’d find at every festival or market, freshly deep-fried from the back of a van. These innocently small round balls of light, sweet, fluffy dough – sometimes injected with pastry cream – are the perfect mouthful,” says Emiko Davies. This is an edited extract from Torta della Nonna by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, $34.99).

“This is a classic recipe for the simplest jam tart pastry with an almost cake-like crumb. It’s usually made with a blackberry or apricot jam. This tart can be made in a pinch with 250g of your favourite ready-made jam and by simply following the recipe for the pastry crust,” says Emiko Davies. This is an edited extract from Torta della Nonna by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, $34.99).

“This is one of those simple, homely cakes that I imagine everyone’s nonna knows how to make and that you will always find, reassuringly, in bakeries, bar and pastry shops all over Tuscany. It’s also commonly on trattoria menus for dessert, although many Tuscans eat this for breakfast or a mid-morning snack,” says Emiko Davies. This is an edited extract from Torta della Nonna by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, $34.99).

“Many say that the mark of really good Florentine pasticceria is its bundini di riso, a classic breakfast item among the line-up at any pastry shop. The short pastry case should be thin, ever so slightly sweet on the soft, blond side. The rice pudding should be moist but firm, not hard and not too sweet, as the pretty, powdery icing sugar that coats the top supplies enough sweetness,” says Emiko Davies. This is an edited extract from Torta della Nonna by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, $34.99).

“This centuries-old dessert from Piedmont is a bit like creme caramel, but flavoured with chocolate and amaretti biscuits. It needs nothing more than the bittersweet caramel spooned over the top, but you could decorate it with whipped cream, some whole or crushed amaretti, or a sprinkling of finely chopped hazelnuts,” says Emiko Davies. This is an edited extract from Torta della Nonna by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, $34.99).