An Italian Chef Reveals The Perfect Tiramisu Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to do when making tiramisu? ›

Tiramisu can have a variety of different types of alcohol inside, however the most common alcohol in tiramisu is dark rum. Other common types of alcohol used in tiramisu is marsala wine, amaretto, or coffee liquor.

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert made of ladyfinger pastries (savoiardi) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone and flavoured with cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many varieties of cakes and other desserts.

In most tiramisus, you would be able to find the use of either heavy whipping cream or whipped egg whites. I've tried both and they worked well for me. However, my family and friends tend to prefer the whipped egg white version as they're less fattening, and has a lighter aftertaste.

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).

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.

This irish cream tiramisu is made with bailey's liqueur instead of rum or kahlua. It adds a nice little twist to such a classic, fun dessert!

Stick With Sweet Wines

Muscat is often suggested, but it's too delicate, so it would be better to opt for sparkling red wine, like Sangue di Giuda from Oltrepo Pavese.

Pompi. Known as the king of tiramisù, Pompi's tiramisù is so amazing that its brand is listed as one of the excellencies of made in Italy.

What part of Italy has the best tiramisu? ›

The supposed birthplace of Tiramisu in Treviso: Le Beccherie

Whether or not this restaurant is the true birthplace of Tiramisu, it is a great place to try the rich traditional dessert in Treviso.

The literal meaning of Tiramisu in Italian is “pick me up” or “cheer me up”. As the name implies, this is an iconic Italian dessert that is served at the end of the meal that hopefully “cheers you up”.

The right biscuits

As a result, the consistency will be less creamy and slightly more compact. Whichever biscuits you choose, make sure not to soak them too much, otherwise the excess coffee will make the mascarpone cream runny.

Restaurateur Ado Campeol, fondly known as the 'father of tiramisu', died on 30 October. He was 93. He was the owner of Le Beccherie — a restaurant in Treviso in northern Italy — and took charge off it after the second world war.

Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur. Egg whites or whipped cream? Most tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites OR whipped cream in the mascarpone cream layers. Egg whites contribute a more airy texture, while whipped cream makes the filling a bit more rich.

Don't soak! Quickly dip the cookies into your coffee or liquor. Try not to leave them in the liquid too long—a quick dip will do. Overly soggy cookies make for a wet texture and a messy dessert.

She uses crisp ladyfingers and subsequently dips them in a mixture of rum and coffee. It is this dipping stage that makes or breaks a tiramisu. According to Garten, if you dip your ladyfingers for too long, they will turn soggy. However, if you don't dip them for long enough, they won't absorb the proper flavor.

Our answer

Mascarpone has a very high fat content and so will split more easily than double/whipping cream or cream cheese. Once the mascarpone has split it is quite difficult to recover, though if you catch it early (very fine grains) sometimes you can correct it by very gently whisking in (by hand) a little cream.

Mascarpone is a sweetened cheese that can make or break your tiramisu. According to Nigella Lawson, the high fat content of the mascarpone causes it to curdle easier than other types of cheeses and creams.