Modican desserts are rich and varied, but before we start to talk about the different varieties of traditional cakes and biscuits, first we would like to tell you about the famous Modican chocolate, one of the best products of this town. Its production has ancient origins, since the days when Modica was a county.

This important and fine chocolate is made with an original technique that was introduced at the time of the Spanish domination. It is prepared at a certain temperature at which the sugar does not melt, giving the chocolate a crystalline appearance. Rich in beneficial properties, it is made exclusively with natural elements, without the addition of any artificial additives. Modica is internationally famous for the preparation of original chocolate. There are several varieties and tastes and the most popular flavours are pepper, cinnamon and vanilla.

Among Modican desserts there are a wide variety of cakes and ice creams. The most typical are without doubt the "'mpanatigghi", stuffed biscuits with a half moon- shape , filled with almonds, chocolate, cinnamon and finely chopped beef. There are curious legends surrounding this biscuit. It is said that the nuns of a monastery used to prepare them for the monks exhausted from their visits to the various convents in the Lent period. The nuns would hide mince meat between the almond paste and chocolate, this way they could even eat the biscuit during the fasting period to gain energy. Others argue that the preparation of this cake was linked to the use of meat gathered during periods of abundant hunting.

Another typical dessert is the "'mpagnuccati", small balls cooked in honey and served on lemon leaves, and "liccumie sweets", similar to the 'mpanatigghie, but stuffed with eggplant. When visiting Modica you must taste the "mustazzola", thick and hard biscuits and prepared with honey and almond pieces, similar to the hard torrone of Modica, or ghugghulena, or cobaita, a crunchy dessert of Arabic origin made with sesame seeds, almonds, orange peel, cinnamon and baked with honey.

There are also the soft nucatoli, S-shaped biscuits, and tarallucci, covered with white sugar and with a slight aroma given by lemon peel. Let us not forget to mention the rich local ice cream, cannoli with ricotta, the Modican cassata with Tuma, sweet ricotta and cinnamon, marzipan fruit or marzipan and bianco mangiare with almond milk.