They say it was invented, sometime in the 1970's, at restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso (in Italy's north-east) but what began as a favourite Italian 'pick-me-up' is now a world-famous dessert and more-ish showstopper. It's perfect for sharing and the highest tier of delicious coffee pairing.
Here's the family recipe from Volcano's favourite account manager, Thomas Sangiovanni - with photos (and taste testing) from the quarantine test kitchen of our colleague Ruta Sasnaukaite.
Did you know - Savoiardi or Ladyfinger biscuits were created at the court of the Duchy of Savoy (modern day Turin) in the late 15th century to celebrate a visit from the French King. The biscuits were a hit with the royal family, became the official court biscuit and hence the name Savoiardi.
Ingredients:
- 300g Ladyfingers (Savoiardi) or 400g shortbread (shortbread takes longer)
- 300ml strong brewed coffee. We suggest Moka Pot* with Crisis Coffee Blend. We find its tasting notes of cinnamon and hazelnut perfect compliments here
- 100g of caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- Cocoa powder
- Mascarpone cheese 500g
*If you don't have a Moka pot any strong brew method will do (Espresso, Pods or strong Cafetiere)
Recipe:
1. Separate yolks from the whites and prepare your Moka Coffee (brew guide)
2. Whisk the yolks with 40g of sugar (until it gets bubbly, creamy and becomes pale in colour).
3. Add the mascarpone to the whipped yolks one scoop at a time while continuing to whisk.
4. Beat the whites of the egg adding 60g of sugar gradually until hard peaks form
5. Fold the egg-white mixture into your mascarpone mixture using a spatula and taking care not to mix too rigourously.
6. Once mixed pour out a layer of the mixture in a baking dish. Start soaking ladyfingers (or shortbread) in the filter coffee and then place them on top of the mixture in the baking tray.
7. Layer up the ladyfingers and mixture in the baking tray until you run out (you can roughly make 2 or more layers)
8. Finish with a whipped mix layer, sprinkle a dust of cocoa powder on top. Then leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to rest.
Enjoy!
FAQs
What does Tiramisu mean in Italian?
Tiramisu is the composition of three separate words: Tira (from Tirare - to pull), Mi (me, myself), and Su (Up) Literally to pull-me-up or as we'd say in English to 'pick-me-up.'
Can you freeze Tiramisu?
Like with most things, Tiramisu is best enjoyed fresh after a little rest in the fridge but there's nothing wrong with putting it in the freezer to store for later. Up to about 3 months should still be good and just leave off the cocoa dusting before putting the Tiramisu in an airtight container for freezing.
Does Tiramisu have alcohol in it?
While traditional Tiramisu recipes don't use alcohol various versions have evolved to included Marsala (Italian fortified wine from Sicily) and sometimes Rum. Advocates for recipes using alcohol love the addition of flavour and also believe that it's hides the taste of egg which is preferred by some If you're adding alcohol just mix it to taste with the coffee brew before dipping the Savoiardi.
