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Food /
Italian Recipes
Dec 23
reading time 2 min

In Cucina: Tiramisù

by ITALY SEGRETA TEAM

Perhaps Italy’s most famous dessert, this creamy, no-bake, caffeinated treat rightly deserves a spot in the limelight. It’s quite a simple dish, with espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered between dollops of a mascarpone (not cream cheese) and egg cream, finished with a hearty dusting of cocoa powder. You’ll find the sweet on nearly every Italian restaurant menu–in Italy and abroad–although history places tiramisù’s origin in Treviso, Veneto. According to legend, the dessert was developed by an 18th-century brothel house madam, who pronounced her invention a powerful aphrodisiac (there’s a reason its name translates to “pick me up”) and served it in generous measures to reinvigorate her clients. 

This tiramisù, from Gaia do Amaral, is as classic as they come. It’s best when made the night before serving and with strong Italian espresso (we recommend using a moka). 

TIRAMISÙ

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 300 ml espresso (the stronger, the better)
  • 2 tablespoons amaretto, brandy, marsala, or rum (optional)
  • 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 500 g mascarpone cheese
  • Around 30 ladyfingers, two packages or 300 g
  • Unsweetened cacao powder

 

PREPARATION

  1. Make the espresso, either in a moka or standard coffee maker. Pour into a shallow bowl to cool (if the coffee is too hot, the ladyfingers will disintegrate when you reach Step 5). Add the amaretto, marsala, or rum, if using. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Beat well until it becomes a smooth cream. Add the mascarpone to the egg yolks and sugar, and mix until creamy.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. 
  4. Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone cream, a little at a time. Carefully fold from the bottom to the top; be careful not to overmix, or you’ll lose the air from the egg whites. 
  5. In a tray of your choosing, spread a layer of the mascarpone mix. Dip each ladyfinger quickly into the coffee–watch out for your own fingers, as it will be hot!–and place them in a single layer atop the cream. Alternate layers of the mascarpone cream and ladyfingers, finishing with the mascarpone cream. 
  6. Dust the top with cocoa powder. 
  7. Place in the fridge for at least three hours–it’s even better if you make it the day before and refrigerate overnight–and serve cool.