Tiramisu With a Twist

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Tiramisu, that delicious Italian “pick-me-up” served all around the world, is not a traditional dessert in Italy. I could not find it in my “La Dolce Cucina—The Italian Dessert Cookbook” published in the 1970s. Apparently it was unknown in Italy until the 1980s.

The dessert, a “semifreddo” (served cold but not frozen) was invented in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It was made for the first time at Le Beccherie, a restaurant in Treviso. That was in 1971. The owners combined a classic zabaglione with coffee, chocolate and ladyfingers, those delicate little biscuits that are ubiquitous to Italian dessert-making. Mascarpone cheese is always used. Et voila! You have Tiramisu.

In Italy raw eggs are used but I suggest cooking the eggs bain-marie style to prevent salmonella dangers. Various flavourings are used today, but a traditional zabaglione has Marsala wine in it.

The recipe below, which is deliciously enriched with Amaretto and Kahlua, was provided exclusively to readers of The Epoch Times by Domenic Carrozza of Trattoria Caffe Italia in Ottawa.

Tiramisu Trattoria Caffe Italia

1.5 litres (6 cups) espresso coffee
15 ml (1/2 oz) Amaretto
15 ml (1/2 oz) Kahlua
3 eggs
40 ml (3 tbsp) sugar, divided
1 container 475 g Mascarpone cheese
125 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream
15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla
2 pkgs 125 g ladyfingers
Cocoa powder to sprinkle on top
Chocolate sauce to garnish

Prepare the espresso. Add the Amaretto and Kahlua. Separate the eggs and mix 15 ml (1 tbsp) of sugar with the whites and 15 ml (1 tbsp) of sugar with the yolks. Add yolks to whites and mix in the mascarpone cheese. Add the whipping cream and 15 ml (1 tbsp) of sugar, then the vanilla. Dip ladyfingers one by one in espresso and fill the bottom of a large Pyrex or glass pan. Put a layer of the cream mixture on top, then another layer of ladyfingers that have been dipped in the espresso. Add a layer of the cream mixture and then sprinkle the top with cocoa powder. Garnish each serving with chocolate sauce. Makes approximately 10 to 12 servings or enough to fill a 23x41-cm (9x16-inch) pan 5-cm (2-inch) deep. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Susan Hallett is an award-winning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, Wine Tidings, and Doctor’s Review among many others. Email: hallett_susan@hotmail.com