The perfect Tiramisu recipe
Tiramisu (Italian: tiramisù, tirameˈsu) is an Italian dessert made according to the original recipe from the following ingredients: Sponge fingers, egg yolk, black coffee, mascarpone cheese, sugar and cocoa powder. The Italian term tirami sù literally means “boost me” and refers to the two caffeinated ingredients: Espresso coffee and cocoa.
The history of the Tiramisu
Currently, one of the most popular desserts in the world is tiramisu. Even today, we are unsure of its precise origin because several countries assert that they were the first to create it.
One of the most well-known stories about the cake dates back to 1723 in the Italian city of Siena. Locals made this treat for Cosimo III de’Medici, the ruler at the time, to celebrate his visit to the city. The city’s residents continue to hold the popular dessert as their own creation. The king enjoyed its flavor so much that he later brought some to Florence. It was essentially sponge cake soaked in wine with yellow cream on top, as per the recipe at the time.
Rediscovering of Tiramisu recipe
Mario Cosolo, who lived close to Trieste, rediscovered this dessert in the 1930s and gave it the name “tirimesu”. Coffee hadn’t yet been added. There was only one sponge with mascarpone and served as a glass dessert, sprinkled with Marsala liqueur. Albergo Roma created a dessert known as “trancia mascarpone” (mascarpone cake) in Tolmezzo at the start of the 1960s. However, his restaurant closed in the middle of the decade, and with it, the tiramisu. Coppa Imperiale was created in Treviso (Tarvisio) in the mid-1960s, which was a mascarpone glass dessert topped with Grand Marnier liqueur and chocolate shavings on top.
The modern Tiramisu
The modern tiramisu evolved into what is now recognized worldwide in the late 1960s. It was created by master confectioner Roberto Linguanotto (Loli) in the Treviso, Italy restaurant Le Beccherie, which is still open today. The recipe was only written down in 1983, when Giovanni Capnis published it in his book “I Dolci del Veneto”. It then spread worldwide and is loved by most people to this day.
It has been categorized as “Italicum” in Italy since 2017 and is regarded as a product of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
The secret of Tiramisu recipe
The real secret to tiramisu is the high-quality sponge fingers that serve as the dessert’s base texture. And the quality espresso! After all, what could be more effective at boosting our energy levels than a strong cup of black coffee? Overall, it is very simple to prepare because it uses readily available ingredients, but you must pay attention to quality when purchasing. It is also critical for the cream that the mascarpone has a light, airy texture. You must ensure that the mascarpone and egg yolk are in good proportion; neither should be more dominant than the other!
Ingredients of Tiramisu recipe:
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp of vanilla sugar or 1 tbsp of extract (or scraped seeds of a vanilla bean)
- 200 g sugar
- 500 g Mascarpone
- 300 ml strong espresso
- 1 tbsp of Amaretto
- 400 g sponge fingers
- 3 tbsp of dark cocoa powder
Steps of Tiramisu recipe:
- Separate the eggs. Add the vanilla sugar to the egg whites and beat to stiff peaks.
- Mix the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar melts and the mixture turns white. Add the mascarpone and the beaten egg whites and mix gently.
- Mix the espresso with the Amaretto and dip the sponge fingers a little on both sides. Then make a layer with them in a baking tray with higher walls. Cover with 1/3 of the mascarpone cream. Continue layering, finishing cream on top too.
- Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
- Put in the fridge for 3 hours and enjoy!
Watch our video about Tiramisu recipe: