Roccobabà, a Speciality from the Hinterland

In this triumph of sweets, there's no shortage of innovation, like that of the Roccobabà. This treat was born from an idea by Emilio Goglia, a pastry chef from Casal di Principe, who, inspired by the traditional babà (a Neapolitan rum-soaked sponge cake), had the intuition to reinvent it as a semifreddo coated in a delicious chocolate cream.

by Alessia Giannino

Neapolitan pastry-making is perhaps the richest and most laden with successes: sfogliatelle, babà, pastiera and so many more besides.

In this triumph of sweets, there's no shortage of innovation, like that of the Roccobabà. This treat was born from an idea by Emilio Goglia, a pastry chef from Casal di Principe, who, inspired by the traditional babà, had the intuition to reinvent it as a semifreddo coated in a delicious chocolate cream.

Origin and History

The name of this sweet is inspired by and dedicated to the Neapolitan fashion designer Rocco Barocco, who was so entranced by its flavour that he simply couldn't resist it. It was thanks to this "love at first bite" that the semifreddo, patented by Emilio, gradually became known the world over, delighting palates far beyond Naples.

Indeed, the Roccobabà has been bringing great satisfaction for around 15 years, helping people forget, if only a little, the negative aspects for which its town of origin is known. Even the Spanish and French press has written about this delicious and distinctive dessert, which has found its way onto tables in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Paris, London and New York.

The Other Versions

Besides the chocolate version, the now-famous pastry chef has invented others, such as the LemonKatia, with a lemon cream, dedicated to Katia Ricciarelli, and the DolceGiuliana, with an Irish Coffee base, dedicated to the Neapolitan writer and journalist Giuliana Gargiulo.

These days there are countless imitations of the Roccobabà, but the one and only original is Emilio Goglia's, who has run his business for over thirty years, passed down from father to son, carrying on the family tradition.