Tiramisù

Name: Tiramisù
Prep time: 390 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 300 g – savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits); 500 g – mascarpone, at room temperature; 4 – very fresh eggs, separated; 100 g – caster sugar; 300 ml – strong espresso, cooled; 30 ml – Marsala or rum (optional); 20 g – unsweetened cocoa powder; A pinch – fine salt

Tiramisù dusted with cocoa – photo by Tochukwu Ekeh, Pexels

Tiramisù is Italy's most famous spoon dessert: layers of savoiardi biscuits dipped in strong espresso, alternating with a velvety cream of eggs, sugar and mascarpone, finished with a dusting of bitter cocoa. No cream and no baking required.

It is loved because it is light, creamy and just a little bitter, a perfect balance of coffee and sweetness. Its name means 'pick me up', and a slice after dinner is exactly that.

Difficulty Easy

Prep time 6 h 30 min

Servings 4 people

Wine Sweet – Moscato or Passito

Cost Low

Tiramisù with sugar decoration – photo by Airam Dato-on, Pexels

Mascarpone and ingredients for tiramisù – photo by zhor abdellkader, Pexels

The story

Tiramisù is a relatively young dessert, and its origins are, as often with Italian classics, disputed. The most popular account places its birth in Treviso, in Veneto, around the 1960s or early 1970s, at the restaurant Le Beccherie, where pastry chef Roberto Linguanotto and owner Ado Campeol are said to have developed it. The name, which means 'pick me up' in the local dialect, hints at the energy given by coffee, eggs and sugar.
Another claim comes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where some say a similar dessert was made in the town of Pontebba and in Tolmezzo in earlier decades. The dessert spread quickly across Italy during the 1980s and soon conquered the world, inspiring countless variations. Its official status was confirmed in 2017 when it was added to the list of traditional Italian agri-food products of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a nod to the friendly dispute that continues to this day.

Ingredients

300 g savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits)
500 g mascarpone, at room temperature
4 very fresh eggs, separated
100 g caster sugar
300 ml strong espresso, cooled
30 ml Marsala or rum (optional)
20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
A pinch fine salt

Method

1
Mix the cooled espresso with the Marsala in a shallow dish and set aside.
2
Whisk the egg yolks with 70 g of sugar until pale and fluffy, then fold in the mascarpone until smooth.
3
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy, add the remaining sugar and whisk to stiff peaks.
4
Gently fold the whites into the mascarpone cream in two additions, keeping it light and airy.
5
Dip the savoiardi quickly into the coffee, one by one, for about one second on each side so they do not become soggy.
6
Arrange a layer of dipped biscuits in a 20 x 25 cm dish and cover with half the cream.
7
Repeat with a second layer of biscuits and the remaining cream, smoothing the top.
8
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, then dust generously with cocoa just before serving.

Tips & variations

Variations: for a version without raw egg whites, whip 150 ml of the mascarpone with pasteurised egg yolks and sugar over a bain-marie; or use a splash of amaretto instead of Marsala.
Make ahead & storage: tiramisù improves after 12 hours; keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days (eat within 48 hours because of the raw eggs) and add the cocoa at the last moment.
Common mistakes: soaking the biscuits too long, using cold mascarpone that forms lumps, over-whisking the cream and adding cream or gelatine, which are not part of the original.

Photos: Tochukwu Ekeh, Airam Dato-on and zhor abdellkader via Pexels (free licence)