Italy · Italian cuisine of Veneto and Friuli
Tiramisù
Coffee-soaked savoiardi layered with a light, silky cream of egg yolks and mascarpone, chilled until set and finished with a dusting of bitter cocoa: the classic Italian spoon-and-slice dessert.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Italy
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
original Original text, written in English.
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- Servings
- 8
- Preparation
- 35 min
- Cooking
- 0 min
- Resting
- 480 min
- Total
- 515 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Cuisine / tradition: Italian cuisine of Veneto and Friuli (IT) — declared by the author
- Dessert
- No cooking
Ingredients
For 8 servings
- 6 piece egg yolks, very fresh
- 150 g caster sugar
- 500 g mascarpone, at room temperature
- 300 ml strong espresso or moka coffee, cooled
- 300 g savoiardi (ladyfingers), about 36
- 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Method
- Step 1. Make the coffee and let it cool completely in a shallow dish.
- Step 2. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and has doubled in volume.⏱ 5 min
- Step 3. Add the mascarpone in 2 or 3 additions and fold it in with a spatula, only until the cream is smooth and homogeneous. Do not whisk, or the mascarpone may split.
- Step 4. Dip the savoiardi in the coffee for 1 to 2 seconds on each side, so that they are moist but not soaked, and arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of a 24 x 18 cm dish. Cover with half of the cream and smooth it.
- Step 5. Make a second layer of dipped savoiardi and cover with the rest of the cream. Smooth the top, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.⏱ 480 min
- Step 6. Just before serving, dust the top generously with cocoa powder through a fine sieve.
Story and cultural note
Tiramisù is a cold dessert of savoiardi, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone and bitter cocoa, and its birthplace is disputed. Sources point to Treviso, in Veneto, where a notarial record of the recipe was deposited with the local delegation of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, and to Friuli, where a dessert called coppa Vetturino is named as its ancestor. The traditional cream uses egg yolks only; many home versions add whipped egg whites, and pasteurised eggs are a modern alternative to raw yolks.
Tips for success
Use very fresh eggs and the best mascarpone, at room temperature. Dip the savoiardi only for a second or two: they will keep soaking in the cream as it rests. Chill for at least 8 hours so that the layers set. Raw eggs are traditional; if you serve pregnant women, young children or frail people, use pasteurised yolks instead.
Serving and presentation
Cut into squares with a hot knife and lift out with a spatula. Dust with fresh cocoa just before serving so that it stays dark and velvety, and serve with a small espresso.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietVegetarian
ContainsGluten (cereals)EggsMilk
