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Over the centuries, the Italians have focused on three products to create their sweets: honey, cane sugar, and beet sugar. Honey, popular since ancient Roman times, was often combined with dry fig paste and concentrated fruit syrups to extend it. Cane sugar was introduced into Sicily by the Arabs, and, along with beet sugar, provided an alternative to honey.
 Yeast breads launched baked sweets
Since Ancient Roman times, cakes and cookies are treats tied to breadmaking. Roman bakers ("pistores dulciarii") created numerous recipes using flour, honey, eggs and fresh cheeses. These sweets were considered so precious that they were offered only on special occasions.
Through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, sweets were generally dense and not yeast-based. Inspired by the spice breads of the Orient, the first pangrandi, or "great bread" desserts, were introduced for Christmas and Easter. To the Italian farmer, wheat bread was already a prized food; enriching it with dried fruit and honey elevated it even further to a holiday and solemn occasion treat.
In 1650, a Bolognese doctor named Vincenzo Tanara described panettone in his book The Citizens' Town Economy, writing, "Our farmers make a dough of flour with honey. water, yeast, dry grapes, and honey candied squash, and make a large loaf of bread which is called Christmas bread." This is thought to be the most factual account of the origin of today's panettone.
At Renaissance and Baroque banquets small sweets were served on silver trays or in Murano glass jars. The menu back then included: pignoccate, or "mouthfuls" made with pinoli nuts; offelle, jam filled biscuits shaped like ravioli; and marzipan, an almond-sugar treat.
These are the ancestors of Italian regional sweets from amaretti to baci di dama, from canestrelli to cantuccini. In each of these creations you can detect the presence of prized Italian ingredients, like Italy's nuts-pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and hazelnuts---and its regional fruits.
The baking innovation of pangrandi started around the 19th century with the introduction of highly leavened brioches and focacce. This lead to the creation of very soft bakery items, such as pandoro from Verona and the dove-shaped colomba.
Chocolate
The discovery of America brought cocoa and revolutionized the Italian pastry world. In the early 17th century, a Florentine merchant named Francesco Carletti returned from the New World and described cocoa paste as "small cakes, which the Indians call chocolate." This preparation was of great interest to the Italian, who  immediately perfected the art of fine chocolate making.
A Genoan engineer named Bozelli designed a machine capable of producing 700 pounds of chocolate per day. By the 19th century Turin's chocolate industry was booming.
During the period between the two world wars, miniature chocolates became popular among Italians, providing an imaginative expression through flavor assortment and beauty of packaging.
Some favourites are the boeri, named for South African colonists who declared war on the British: the neapolitans; and the gianduiotto, named for the Turinese character of Gianduja. While in 1884 Russia Czar Alexander III commissioned the first surprise egg made of gold and precious stones from the jeweller Faberge, Italian producers introduced chocolate Easter eggs containing a surprise gift.
Confections
Sugar coated nuts called confetti are another prized Italian sweet. Confetti can contain anise, coriander, cinnamon or clove for added flavor. Confetti, sugar coated nuts, are mainly produced in Campania and Abruzzo are given to guests at weddings, baptisms, and graduations.
Torrone recipes date from the 16th century. In 1854, a pastry chef from Savoy ordered them prepared with honey, egg white, almonds, and very little sugar. Today, the proportions are reversed and sugar prevails, with ingredients such as hazelnuts and chocolate often added.
Licorice is another ancient Italian confection with a colorful history. Originating in the large feudal estates of noble Calabrian families, they became a full-flegded industry in the 18th century. Licorice sticks, grains and anise flavored lozenges are a joy to the palate with their bittersweet flavor and smooth texture.
Ice cream cannot be overlooked when speaking of Italian confections. Throughout history the ice-house was a symbol of wealth found in the finest palaces and castles in Italy.
These underground rooms were packed with snow and ice during the winter so cold beverages would be available during the summer. It was here that fruit juice sorbet originated. Legend has that the emperor Nero had a weakness for such frozen delights. Just who invented ice cream is an age-old dispute among Italians. The Florentine attribute the discovery of a cold mix of snow and salt to the architect Bernardo Buontalenti of the 16th century. Natives of Palermo, however, credit Palermitan nobleman Procopio dei Coltelli with the invention. Coltelli was owner and manager of the Cafè Procope in Paris when he introduced the French people to the first Sicilian ice creams. Since then, Italian confectioners have enjoyed dabbling in the art of frozen treasures.
A modern industry
 At the end of the 1950's, the Italian confectionery industry was practically nonexistent.
In the following decades, the development in the sector has been enormous. The industrial structure, sustained by massive investments, has strongly consolidated and diversified, decisively embarking on the road to innovation, as much in the process as in the product.
The success has not been attained only by the large companies, the shining stars of the sector. 250 smaller and medium-sized companies have contributed their fair share revitalizing Italian tradition of high-quality production. The confectionery industry has demonstrated an admirable energy and entrepreneurial imagination.
In 2008, Italian industries produced 1,834,600 tons of confectionery products, for a billed value of 11,306 million euros, which was 4.6% over 2007. In the same period Italy exported 631,500 tons of confectionery products. This positive result is to be ascribed to the renowned quality of Italian sweets, which springs from the use of quality ingredients, the genius of recipes taken from ancient traditions, and the elegant, refined style of packaging.
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