Miss Confection

Sweet things from every corner of the world

🇮🇹 Treviso, Italy

Authentic Italian Tiramisu

Espresso-soaked ladyfingers and cloud-soft mascarpone: Italy's favourite pick-me-up

Prep
30 min
Cook
—
Total
6 hr 30 min
Yield
9 servings
Level
Easy
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The story

Tiramisu means pick me up, and it is a surprisingly young dessert. The best-known origin story points to Le Beccherie, a restaurant in Treviso in the Veneto, where the dessert is said to have been perfected in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Its recipe of savoiardi biscuits, coffee, egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone and cocoa became the version most people now think of as the classic.

Not everyone agrees. Cooks in neighbouring Friuli Venezia Giulia say similar layered desserts were served in mountain towns such as Tolmezzo years earlier. In 2017 Friuli added tiramisu to its official list of traditional food products, which led to a public argument with the Veneto. Whoever invented it, tiramisu became popular across Italy and then the rest of the world within a few decades.

Our version keeps to the Treviso style, with a little whipped egg white folded in to lighten the cream. Use very fresh or pasteurized eggs, strong coffee and real mascarpone. Give it at least six hours in the fridge so the layers set and you can cut clean slices.

Tips for success

  • Use crisp Italian savoiardi, not soft sponge ladyfingers, which fall apart when you dip them.
  • Dust the cocoa just before serving. If it sits too long it absorbs moisture and looks patchy.
  • For an alcohol-free tiramisu, leave out the Marsala. The coffee and mascarpone carry plenty of flavour.
  • Tiramisu keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days and freezes for up to a month.

Authentic Italian Tiramisu

Our authentic Italian tiramisu recipe layers espresso-dipped ladyfingers with a light mascarpone and egg cream. No baking, ready to slice after a few hours in the fridge.

Prep
30 min
Cook
—
Total
6 hr 30 min
Yield
9 servings
Calories
~420/serving

Ingredients

For the cream

For the layers

Instructions

Make the cream

  1. Beat the egg yolks with 75 g (6 tbsp) of the sugar on medium-high until pale, thick and ribbony, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the mascarpone and beat on low just until smooth. Stop as soon as it comes together, because overbeaten mascarpone can turn grainy.
  3. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 25 g (2 tbsp) sugar and whip to firm, glossy peaks.
  4. Fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture in two additions, keeping as much air in the cream as you can.

Assemble

  1. Stir the espresso and Marsala, if using, together in a shallow dish. Dip each ladyfinger for about one second per side, so it soaks up coffee without going soggy.
  2. Lay the dipped ladyfingers in a single tight layer in a 9x9-inch (23 cm) dish. Spread half the cream evenly over them.
  3. Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and top with the rest of the cream, smoothing the surface.

Chill and serve

  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the cleanest slices.
  2. Just before serving, sift an even layer of cocoa over the top and grate on a little dark chocolate if you like.

Tools we use

Recipe from Miss Confection · https://missconfection.com/recipe/authentic-italian-tiramisu

Questions, answered

Is it safe to eat raw eggs in tiramisu?

Classic tiramisu uses raw eggs. Pasteurized eggs, sold in many supermarkets, remove the risk, and they are a sensible choice if you are serving young children, pregnant guests or anyone with a weakened immune system.

How long does tiramisu need to set?

At least 6 hours in the fridge, and overnight is better. The ladyfingers soften and the cream firms up so you can cut clean slices.

Can I make tiramisu without alcohol?

Yes. The Treviso-style recipe often leaves out alcohol, so you can skip the Marsala or rum and lose very little.

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