Tiramisù
Treviso's coffee-soaked savoiardi and mascarpone dessert
A spoon should meet a little resistance at the top, then pass through cool mascarpone cream and coffee-softened biscuits. Bitter cocoa and coffee balance the richness of Treviso's mascarpone cream.
The familiar Treviso preparation uses yolks, sugar, mascarpone, savoiardi, coffee and cocoa. Originally assembled as a round cake, it also fits neatly into a serving dish, where the cream and biscuits settle into two soft layers. Several Italian places claim the dessert's beginnings; its origins remain disputed.
Ingredients
Cream
- 6pasteurized egg yolks
- 250 gsugar
- 500 gmascarpone, cool but pliable
Assembly
- about 350 ml(1½ cups)strong brewed coffee, cooled
- 30dry Italian savoiardi biscuits
- unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Kitchen notes
- Pasteurized egg yolks
- The cream is not cooked. Separate six eggs labeled pasteurized in the shell; the FDA recommends treated eggs for desserts served with uncooked egg. Keep the dessert refrigerated.
- Savoiardi
- Choose the dry, crisp Italian sponge biscuits sold as savoiardi or Italian ladyfingers. Soft cake-like American ladyfingers collapse too quickly when dipped.
- Mascarpone
- Use plain mascarpone, the mild, rich Italian fresh cheese. Cream cheese is tangier and firmer and changes the character of the dessert.
Method
Make the cream
- Brew the coffee and let it cool. Beat the pasteurized yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale, thick and visibly increased in volume, scraping the bowl once or twice. The sugar need not fully dissolve at this stage. Beat in the mascarpone in two additions, just until the cream is smooth, thick and softly spreadable. Stop before it turns loose or greasy.
Build the layers
- Set a roughly 9-inch (23 cm) round or square serving dish beside the coffee. Dip each savoiardo quickly, turning once; the outside should be wet but the center should still offer a little resistance. Arrange about half in a close-fitting layer, breaking a few to fill gaps. Spread half the cream evenly over them. Repeat with the remaining biscuits and cream, smoothing the top.
Chill and serve
- Cover and refrigerate until the layers are set and the biscuits have softened throughout, at least 8 hours. Keep chilled until serving. Sift a fine, even layer of unsweetened cocoa over the top just before cutting or spooning into portions.