An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (2024)

An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (1)

La Dolce Vita

It is the most overused, copied and varied of all Italian desserts, present at all latitudes worldwide. So if you live outside Italy, how can you be sure that that you’ve tried the real one at least once in your life? The light, wonderfully scented, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth original? If you’re not sure, simply head to the kitchen. You don’t even need to turn the oven on, because this is one of the few Italian desserts that can be made without baking. And you don’t even need to be a chef to make it. In fact, in Italy this is the first dessert that children are allowed to make on their own, without help from their parents.

Before starting, here are a few secrets, like the recipe, from Il Grande Libro dei Dolci by Giuliana Lomazzi, a wine and food journalist and author (the book is published in Italy by Ponte alle Grazie). “The most important thing is to wet the base without overdoing it, because otherwise it will be soupy. But at the same time you need to soak it enough to make sure there aren’t any dry parts. Use ladyfingers for the base, but if you can’t find them, you can use sponge cake.”

An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (2)

La Dolce Vita

Recipe (6–8 servings)

For the base
250 g (8.8 oz.) ladyfingers

For the filling
4 super-fresh eggs
80 g (heaping 1/3 cup) sugar
500 g (1.1 lb) mascarpone cream 5 tbsp Marsala (optional)
to soak the cake
5 demitasse cups espresso

For the garnish
powdered unsweetened cocoa
3 tbsp grated bittersweet chocolate (optional)

To prepare the filling, separate the eggs and put the yolks in a bowl. Add the sugar and beat well until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone, stirring gently. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold carefully into the mascarpone mixture, adding a little at a time. Gently stir in the marsala, if desired, and refrigerate.

Place a layer of ladyfingers in a clear rectangular baking dish. Using a teaspoon, drizzle some coffee on each one. Cover with about 2/5 of the mascarpone mixture. Prepare another layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone the same way.

Put the remaining 1/5 of the mascarpone into a piping bag with a smooth tip and dollop the mixture onto the tiramisu. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Just before serving, sift the cocoa over the dessert in a uniform layer. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and serve.

An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (3)

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An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to do when making tiramisu? ›

Roberto Lestani, who for the occasion revealed to us the 3 mistakes not to make to prepare a stunning tiramisu!
  1. 1: excessively whipping the mascarpone! ...
  2. 2: once together, don't immediately mix the yolks and sugar! ...
  3. 3: Neglect stratification!
Jun 16, 2020

What is the best alcohol for tiramisu? ›

Tiramisu can have a variety of different types of alcohol inside, however the most common alcohol in tiramisu is dark rum. Other common types of alcohol used in tiramisu is marsala wine, amaretto, or coffee liquor.

Is tiramisu a famous Italian dish True or false? ›

Today, Tiramisù is the world's most famous dessert and it is considered a modern dessert par “excellence”. The word Tiramisù literally means “pick me up”. It comes from the Treviso dialect, “Tireme su”, Italianised into Tiramisù in the latter half of the 20th century.

How to make tiramisu Gennaro Contaldo Italian special? ›

Method
  1. In a bowl or container, combine coffee and coffee liqueur. Set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk mascarpone, cream, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla seeds together until all well mixed. Set aside.
  3. Dip the biscuits in the coffee mix and line the dish, pour over the creamy mixture and spread evenly all over.

Why does my tiramisu taste watery? ›

The other main reasons the mixture would be runny is if other liquid ingredients have been added first, or if the mascarpone has been beaten so much that it has curdled (then you will get water separating out from the cheese curds).

Is tiramisu better with whipped cream or egg whites? ›

However, the most important pastry chefs in Italy use whipped cream in their tiramisù. It is not just a matter of taste but of texture, too. Even if you beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, they release some water after a few hours, which make the tiramisù too liquid. Using whipped cream keeps it stable.

Can I use Kahlua instead of rum in tiramisu? ›

Alcohol: I prefer Kahlua, but use any of the following: Marsala wine, rum (dark is best!), brandy, or Amaretto. Make it Alcohol-Free: Omit the Kahlua entirely from the coffee mixture and replacing it with coffee in the mascarpone mixture.

Can you substitute Baileys for Kahlua in tiramisu? ›

This irish cream tiramisu is made with bailey's liqueur instead of rum or kahlua. It adds a nice little twist to such a classic, fun dessert!

What do Italians drink with tiramisu? ›

Stick With Sweet Wines

Muscat is often suggested, but it's too delicate, so it would be better to opt for sparkling red wine, like Sangue di Giuda from Oltrepo Pavese.

What country makes the best tiramisu? ›

Pompi. Known as the king of tiramisù, Pompi's tiramisù is so amazing that its brand is listed as one of the excellencies of made in Italy.

What part of Italy has the best tiramisu? ›

However, Tiramisù is a traditional Italian dessert that originated in the Veneto region. Many consider the Tiramisù from the city of Treviso, near Venice, to be exceptional.

What does tiramisu mean in Italian slang? ›

The literal meaning of Tiramisu in Italian is “pick me up” or “cheer me up”. As the name implies, this is an iconic Italian dessert that is served at the end of the meal that hopefully “cheers you up”.

Why is my tiramisu not creamy? ›

The right biscuits

As a result, the consistency will be less creamy and slightly more compact. Whichever biscuits you choose, make sure not to soak them too much, otherwise the excess coffee will make the mascarpone cream runny.

Who is the father of tiramisu? ›

Restaurateur Ado Campeol, fondly known as the 'father of tiramisu', died on 30 October. He was 93. He was the owner of Le Beccherie — a restaurant in Treviso in northern Italy — and took charge off it after the second world war.

Do you need dark rum for tiramisu? ›

Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur. Egg whites or whipped cream? Most tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites OR whipped cream in the mascarpone cream layers. Egg whites contribute a more airy texture, while whipped cream makes the filling a bit more rich.

How do you keep lady fingers from getting soggy in tiramisu? ›

Don't soak! Quickly dip the cookies into your coffee or liquor. Try not to leave them in the liquid too long—a quick dip will do. Overly soggy cookies make for a wet texture and a messy dessert.

Why is my tiramisu so soggy? ›

She uses crisp ladyfingers and subsequently dips them in a mixture of rum and coffee. It is this dipping stage that makes or breaks a tiramisu. According to Garten, if you dip your ladyfingers for too long, they will turn soggy. However, if you don't dip them for long enough, they won't absorb the proper flavor.

Why did my tiramisu cream break? ›

Our answer

Mascarpone has a very high fat content and so will split more easily than double/whipping cream or cream cheese. Once the mascarpone has split it is quite difficult to recover, though if you catch it early (very fine grains) sometimes you can correct it by very gently whisking in (by hand) a little cream.

Why is my tiramisu cream curdling? ›

Mascarpone is a sweetened cheese that can make or break your tiramisu. According to Nigella Lawson, the high fat content of the mascarpone causes it to curdle easier than other types of cheeses and creams.

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