Love Italy, Love Tiramisù Day: il 21 marzo

21 March is World Tiramisù Day, one of our favourite desserts. Ever. Celebrate with us. It’s easy to make and is a real pick me up – literally. “Tirami su” in Italian means pick me up!

Tiramisù is a popular Italian dessert made from savoiardi sponge biscuits dipped in coffee and layered with a mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar, often dusted with cocoa powder. The origins of tiramisù are a subject of debate, but the most widely accepted theory is that it was invented in the Veneto region of Italy in the 1960s or 1970s.

One story goes that tiramisù was created by a chef named Roberto Linguanotto in the town of Treviso. Another theory attributes its invention to a pastry chef named Loly Linguanotto, who worked in a restaurant in the town of Tolmezzo. Yet another theory suggests that tiramisù was created by a group of pastry chefs in the city of Siena, who were inspired by a dessert called “zuppa inglese” (English soup), which is made with ladyfingers soaked in Alchermes liqueur.

As for the best recipe, there are many variations of tiramisù, and the “best” recipe is largely a matter of personal preference. Some recipes call for using raw eggs, while others use cooked egg yolks to avoid the risk of foodborne illness. Some recipes add liquor such as Marsala wine or amaretto to the coffee mixture, while others skip the alcohol altogether. Some recipes use whipped cream in addition to or instead of the mascarpone mixture.

Here is our recipe for the perfect tiramisù that is sure to delight your taste buds. It uses local liquor San Marzano, which goes well with coffee and chocolate flavours, but substitute to your taste with rum, marsala, tia maria etc..

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 75 grams caster sugar
• 450 grams mascarpone cheese
• 2 tbsp Elisir San Marzano (or sweet marsala)
• 2 tbsp Canadian maple syrup
• 100ml espresso
• 24 savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits
• Cocoa powder, to dust

Instructions:

1. Whisk three of the egg whites until stiff and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and voluminous.
3. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese a little at a time until smooth and well combined.
4. Gently fold the three whisked egg whites into the mascarpone mixture using a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out too much air.
5. Stir the sweet marsala and dark rum into the espresso to create a liquid mixture.
6. Dip each biscuit into the liquid mixture until it turns a pale coffee color.
7. Arrange the soaked biscuits to cover the base of a shallow glass dish.
8. Spoon a third of the mascarpone mixture on top of the biscuits.
9. Sprinkle a good amount of cocoa powder on top of the mascarpone layer.
10. Repeat steps 7-9, layering the biscuits, mascarpone mixture, and cocoa powder.
11. Finish the dish with a final layer of the mascarpone mixture and cocoa powder on top.
12. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least six hours before serving.
13. Dust with additional cocoa powder to serve.

Enjoy this pick me up dessert that brings a taste of Italy to your table. Happy World Tiramisù Day!

Alternative recipe, no raw eggs or alcohol

Here is an alternative basic recipe for tiramisù:

Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 175 grams sugar
• 160 ml milk
• 300 grams mascarpone cheese
• 420 ml double cream
• 120 ml strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 package ladyfingers (24 count)

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in the milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined.
3. Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of a 9×13 inch dish. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Repeat with another layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers and the remaining mascarpone mixture.
4. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder.

Buon appetito and happy World Tiramisù Day.

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