The Best Italian Tiramisu Recipe: The Real Italian Dessert (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional tiramisu made of? ›

Traditional tiramisu contains ladyfingers (savoiardi), egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone and cocoa powder. A common variant involves soaking the savoiardi in alcohol, such as Marsala wine, amaretto or a coffee-based liqueur.

Determining the "best" Tiramisù in Italy can be subjective as it often depends on personal preferences. 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.

These historic memories tell us that the recipe and dessert were well known in Treviso as far back as 1800. As often happens in legends, there are various elements of truth: Tiramisù originates from Treviso, in Italy.

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.

Fortified wine: The traditionalist's choice is a sweet fortified wine like Marsala. It's lower in alcohol content and adds a light, fragrant note. You could also use Vin Santo or Madeira. Liquor: Rum and brandy are the popular choices for boozy desserts, and when it comes to adding depth to tiramisu, it's no different.

Pompi. Pompi's tiramisu, a beloved chain with several branches in the city, is probably the king of tiramisu in Rome. The dessert is served in a small box with a spoon and is served in a variety of flavors, such as the classic flavor, pistachio, strawberry and even gluten-free!

Stick With Sweet Wines

Wines with a higher alcohol percentage are best, such as passitos, especially those that go well with chocolate, like a Moscato Rosa from South Tyrol, a Sagrantino Passito from Umbria, Puglian Primitivo Passito, or a Nero d'Avola Passito from Sicily.

Best Mascarpone For Tiramisu

Here in Italy there are quite a few brands that produce mascarpone cheese but without a doubt the best and my first choice above all others is Santa Lucia produced by Galbani. I was truly over the moon to find out that you have no excuses here, cause Amazon.com has this very brand.

You can make your own ladyfingers or purchase two 3-ounce packages. Wondering if you should use soft or hard ladyfingers for tiramisu? They come in both forms, but we tend to use the soft variety. Espresso powder: We use instant espresso coffee powder ($7, Target) found in the coffee aisle at your grocery store.

How long should tiramisu sit before eating? ›

Wrap tiramisù with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 6 hours before serving. If you want to get fancy, finish the Tiramisù with a layer of whipped cream piped on top and dust with more cocoa powder.

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).

Authentic Italian Tiramisu is made with raw eggs. In America, due to fear of salmonella, Tiramisu is often made by tempering the egg yolks and substituting heavy whipping cream in place of the egg whites.

tiramisù literally translates to “pick me up,” “carry me up,” or “lift me up.” The dessert's name was apparently chosen to allude to the heavenly texture and flavor of the Italian dessert.

Tiramisu doesn't traditionally have alcohol, it's just made with espresso/coffee. Some versions, especially at nicer restaurants, do have Kahlua, marsala or other booze (e.g. amaretto, brandy, rum), and it depends how much but usually it's fine, but you may check with where you're ordering from.

While traditional tiramisu relies on ladyfingers, tiramisu cake often uses layers of sponge cake soaked in espresso and sometimes a touch of liqueur. The quintessential mascarpone cream remains a constant, but the structure allows for creative variations.

Tiramisu is made with mascarpone, a kind of cheese made from only two ingredients: heavy cream and citric or tartaric acid. It is often compared to cream cheese, but has a softer, more velvety texture and a higher fat content. What is the best cream mixture for tiramisu if there's no mascarpone cheese available?

Tiramisu's origins may well be the most debated of Italian dolci (“desserts”), but one thing everyone can agree on is that it is certainly Italy's most uplifting dessert. Beloved by many across the globe, it's name translates as 'pick/pull me up', owing to its rich cocoa and coffee-infused flavours.