Every Italian family has a tiramisu recipe and a strong opinion about what makes it theirs. This is ours, and it is not complicated: cold espresso, good mascarpone, egg yolks whisked with sugar, stiff egg whites folded in carefully. The savoiardi are dipped for two seconds, not three.
The version from Treviso, in the Veneto, is where this dish was first recorded, and the original is close to what we make here. No cream, no Marsala, no shortcuts with commercial whipped filling. Just the six ingredients that earned the dish its reputation.
Make it the day before you want to serve it. The overnight rest in the refrigerator is not optional: it is when the layers set, the coffee migrates into the cream, and the whole thing becomes the dish it is meant to be.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Remove the eggs and mascarpone from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before starting. Prepare and cool the espresso completely. Cold espresso is essential.
Separate the eggs carefully. Place the yolks in a large bowl with the sugar. Whisk on medium speed with a hand mixer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
Add the room-temperature mascarpone to the yolk mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just smooth. Do not overwork or the cream will loosen.
In a separate, spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks: they should hold firm when the bowl is tilted. Fold one-third of the whites into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remainder in two additions, working from the bottom of the bowl upward to preserve the volume.
Spread a thin, even layer of cream across the base of a 8 x 8 in baking dish.
Pour the cold espresso into a shallow bowl. Working quickly, dip each savoiardo smooth-side-down into the espresso for exactly 2 seconds. Arrange in a single layer over the cream, fitting them snugly without overlapping.
Cover with half the remaining cream, spreading it to the edges. Repeat with a second layer of dipped savoiardi, then finish with the remaining cream. Smooth the top completely flat with a spatula.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better. Dust generously with unsweetened cocoa powder immediately before serving.
You made Tiramisu Classico. Time to eat.
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Two seconds in the espresso. Not three. The savoiardi keep absorbing after they leave the cup, and a soggy ladyfinger is the most common thing that goes wrong. Dip quickly and move on.
Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.
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