Tiramisu
In Italian
Il tiramisù (o tiramisu, o tirami su a Venezia "tirime sù") è un dolce di facile e immediata preparazione. Incerta la sua origine,
alcuni sostengono sia veneziano, ma altri e questa ipotesi sembra più attendibile, sostengono la sua origine trevigiana. Anche in
questo caso vi sono delle diatribe in corso, si condendono la paternità del Tiramisù due ristoranti di Treviso, "El Toulà"
e "Le Beccherie". Un'altra versione porta l'ideazione del dolce a Siena: i pasticceri lo avrebbero creato in onore di Cosimo III
in occasione di una sua visita alla città. Certa è la sua nascita intorno agli anni '60 del '900. Da qualche tempo un italo-americano
rivendica la paternità del famoso dolce. Oggi lo caratterizzano il gusto intenso del caffè, la delicatezza del mascarpone e la
fragranza dei biscotti. Per prepararlo servono i seguenti ingredienti: biscotti savoiardi o pan di spagna, uova fresche, zucchero,
caffè, mascarpone, cognac, cioccolato fondente grattugiato, cacao amaro in polvere. Si può variare sostituendo il cognac con altri
liquori, utilizzando come base la crema pasticcera al posto del mascarpone e arricchendo il tutto con gocce di cioccolato.
In English
Tiramisu, translating to "pick me up" in Italian, is a popular dessert layered with sweet cream. There are many possible
explanations of its origins. Though many claim the dessert may have been made as far back as the Renaissance, some suggest
Tiramisu was not made until 1971 by Italian baker, Carminantonio Lannaccone in a small bakery in Treviso, Italy.
Italian cookbooks did not include recipes for Tiramisu until the 1980s, when it literally became one of the most popular
desserts in Europe and the United States. The dessert is now served in many restaurants and is not exclusive to those
restaurants offering Italian fare.
Classic Tiramisu is made with ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and occasionally marsala wine or rum. The soaked ladyfingers
are alternately layered with mascarpone cheese, which is normally mixed with the traditional zabaglione custard. This provides
a cake of several layers, which is often topped off with cocoa powder.
Common mistakes in making Tiramisu are over-soaking the ladyfingers. This can result in a cake body that is soggy instead of
simply firmly soaked. Most cookbooks give explicit instructions about how long to soak the lady fingers. Some use a sponge cake
instead of ladyfingers, which can give basically the same result.
Some newer recipes for Tiramisu use different liquids for soaking the cake layers. These can include lemon juice, or strawberry
juice. A Tiramisu layered with chocolate zabaglione custard is a popular variation. Nothing quite replaces the traditional Tiramisu,
however, especially if one is a fan of coffee.
Unlike many American desserts, Tiramisu should not be overly sweet. In fact most Italian desserts, like the Ricotta cheesecake use
far less sugar than do American desserts. The goal of Tiramisu is to provide a balance of flavors between sweet zabaglione, the tang
of coffee and alcohol, and the dusting of unsweetened cocoa. As well, textures in Tiramisu should be observed as the layers alternate
between cake and cream.
It is actually fairly easy to make Tiramisu, and many recipes exist to tell one how. Look for recipes that are Italian in origin to
get the true essence of the cake. Local grocery stores may not carry mascarpone, and cream cheese is often a suitable replacement.
For the most authentic Tiramisu, look for specialty grocers who usually carry mascarpone in abundance. It is often in the refrigerator
section near cream or cottage cheese, as opposed to with the regular hard cheeses.
Any type of cake or ladyfingers forming the cake base should be slightly stale. In fact, Tiramisu is an excellent way to make use
of leftovers. Stale cake or ladyfingers will absorb liquid better without becoming soggy. Tiramisu is usually best prepared in a
large square or rectangular pan, and benefits from sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours prior to serving. This gives the
cake time to fully absorb all of its flavors. If preparing Tiramisu for an evening meal, it might be best to make it either the
night before or the morning before one serves it.
Tiramisu is certainly a recipe in which many of your guests will delight. Do warn guests who may not consume alcohol if you have
used alcohol to soak the cake. Since this is not a baked dessert, the alcohol will still be present in full strength.
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