Italian desserts for a little bit of la dolce vita

The Italian phrase la dolce vita means "the sweet life" or "the good life".   The Italians believe strongly in living out this saying and one place they don't scrimp is their desserts.  You can never go wrong with any Italian dessert and even though I haven't been to Italy, I still find many different variations here.  Some are more authentic than others and I'll never really know how they compare to the dessert in Italy until I visit, but I get the idea and love what I've tasted so far. 

Biscotti from Tutta Bella, in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood.

Cannoli from Gelatiamo in Bellevue, WA.

Cheesecake with mascarpone cheese and fruit. 

Chocolate Mousse Cake from The Old Spaghetti Factory in Seattle.

Chocolate Pizzelle cookies from Pizzeria Gabbiano in Seattle.

Affagato from Via Tribunali in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.   This particular Affagoto was a scoop of hazelnut gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it. 

A piece of Cassita Cake from La Medusa in Seattle's Columbia City.  Cassita Cake is Italian sponge cake with a marzipan filling and topped with chocolate frosting and hazelnuts.

Tiramisu from Tutta Bella in Columbia City.  Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored cake with lady fingers, mascarpone cheese, and flavored with cocoa.

 Italian Love Cake, made at home. The Ricotta cheese filling is what makes it an Italian dessert.   

Panna Cotta with berries from Café Lago in Seattle.

Mango Gelato from Vancouver, BC.