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Tiramisù's name—'pick me up'—comes from the espresso soaking the ladyfingers and the sugar-and-egg richness of the mascarpone cream layered between them. The dish was invented at Le Beccherie restaurant in Treviso, Veneto in the late 1960s, and for decades various Italian restaurants claimed credit before the original recipe was formally documented. The formula is simple but failure-prone: egg yolks beaten with sugar until pale and thick, folded with mascarpone (not cream cheese, not whipped cream), then layered with savoiardi soaked in strong espresso and a splash of Marsala or rum. The top must be dusted generously with bitter cocoa—not chocolate shavings, not powdered cocoa mixed with sugar. It must rest overnight in the fridge: fresh tiramisù, served the same day, is a different and lesser thing.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes thick and pale.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method) and continue to whisk for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture is hot and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Add the mascarpone cheese to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth and well combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully incorporated.
In a shallow dish, combine the cooled brewed coffee and coffee liqueur (if using).
Quickly dip each ladyfinger biscuit into the coffee mixture, making sure not to soak them too long to avoid becoming too soggy.
Arrange a layer of the soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish or a similarly sized serving dish.
Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, smoothing it out evenly.
Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers and the remaining mascarpone mixture.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the tiramisu to set.
Just before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Garnish with dark chocolate shavings if desired.
Italian layered dessert: espresso-soaked savoiardi + mascarpone-egg cream + bitter cocoa. Must rest overnight.
Treviso, Veneto. Invented at Le Beccherie restaurant in the late 1960s; originally documented in the 1980s.
Savoiardi (ladyfingers), mascarpone, egg yolks, sugar, espresso, Marsala or rum, unsweetened cocoa.
Rest overnight in the fridge—the biscuits must absorb the espresso and the cream must firm. Same-day tiramisù is soft and disappointing.
It is a complete dessert on its own. Drink espresso before or after; Moscato d'Asti as a pairing wine.