Italy · Desserts
Tiramisù.
Coffee, mascarpone, ladyfingers and cocoa. A no-bake dessert that tastes like a trip to Italy.
Illustration created with AI
The story of tiramisù.
Tiramisù means “pick me up”, a nod to the coffee and sugar. It is a recent classic: most food historians place its birth in the Veneto region in the 1960s and 70s, with the restaurant Le Beccherie in Treviso often credited with making it famous.
The original has no alcohol and no cream: just eggs, sugar, mascarpone, ladyfingers, coffee and cocoa. Simple ingredients, so each one has to be good.
Origin: Veneto, Italy
Where to find the ingredients in the US.
- Ladyfingers: look for Italian savoiardi, crisp and dry, not the soft sponge kind.
- Mascarpone is in the cheese section of most supermarkets.
- Eggs: use pasteurized eggs, or follow the cooked-egg method in the notes.
Three steps. That’s it.
What each stage should look like.
Step 1
Mascarpone cream.
Whip yolks and sugar until pale, then fold in mascarpone and whipped whites.
Step 2
A quick dip.
Dip each ladyfinger in cold coffee for just a second, so it stays firm.
Step 3
Layer and chill.
Alternate ladyfingers and cream, chill for 6 hours, dust with cocoa.
Illustrations created with AI
Recipe
Tiramisù.
Prep 30 min · No cooking · Total 30 min + 6 h chilling
Ingredients
- large eggs, very fresh or pasteurized, separated
- granulated sugar
- mascarpone, cold
- strong espresso or coffee, cooled
- Italian ladyfingers (savoiardi), about 10½ oz / 300 g
- unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Whisk the yolks with half the sugar for 4–5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add the mascarpone and whisk briefly, just until smooth.
- In a clean bowl, whip the whites with the remaining sugar to stiff peaks. Fold them into the mascarpone cream in three additions, gently.
- Pour the cooled coffee into a shallow dish. Dip each ladyfinger for one second per side and lay it in an 8×8-inch or similar dish.
- Cover with half the cream, then repeat with a second layer of ladyfingers and the rest of the cream.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Dust with cocoa just before serving.
Sources consulted: Gambero Rosso. Our own text, with US and metric measurements.
What you’ll need.
Electric hand mixer.
Makes the yolks and whites light and airy.
8×8-inch glass dish.
So everyone can see the layers.
Fine sieve.
For an even dusting of cocoa.
