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October 25, 2023 – Eleonora Corradi
Tiramisù, Italian dessert par excellence
The seventh edition of the Tiramisù World Championship, a competition dedicated to non-professionals competing in the preparation of the best Tiramisù, was held in Treviso between Oct. 5 and 8. The annual event sees 240 participants from Italy and around the world compete in the finals, where a jury of culinary experts elects the World Champion of Classic Tiramisù and Creative Tiramisù.
But where did Tiramisù originate?
Tiramisù is universally recognized as the world’s most famous spoon dessert and a true treasure of culinary Italy. However, its origins are shrouded in a series of legends and theories that make it difficult to establish its true origin, linking its creation to various historical periods, various Italian and foreign cities, and attributing its authorship to a variety of characters.
According to the most historically accepted theory, Tiramisù has its roots in the Veneto region, specifically in the city of Treviso. The origin should be attributed to the pastry chef of the “Beccherie” restaurant, who created this delicacy in the 1960s, taking inspiration from the “sbatudìn” a popular, modest, but energetic dessert made of egg yolk whipped with sugar, originally intended for children, the elderly, and convalescents. The restaurant introduced this novelty to its menu, helping to legitimize and formalize a recipe that had already been popular among families in the area for some time. Later, the Treviso restaurant “Toulà” promoted the spread of Tiramisù through its chain of restaurants, in Italy and abroad, which proposed it as a specialty of the area.
The origin of the name Tiramisù.
The original name “Tiramesù,” later italianized to “Tiramisu” literally means “lift me up, strengthen my body”, and seems to have been chosen in reference to the dessert’s nutritional and restorative qualities (one serving of Tiramisù contains about 500 calories). Some, however, argue that the name may be due to alleged aphrodisiac effects (there is even a theory linking its origins to the 1930s in a tolerance house in Treviso, where it was allegedly served to customers as a tonic).
Alternative versions of Tiramisù.
The traditional recipe originating in Treviso is available on the Accademia del Tiramisù website and features few ingredients and relatively simple preparation. Over time, numerous reinterpretations of this recipe have emerged, offering new flavor combinations. There are variations such as Nutella Tiramisù, fruit Tiramisù (often with strawberries and berries), diet versions that replace mascarpone with yogurt or cream cheese, and even eggless variants. Some bolder creations include Tiramisù with ham and melon, or one with pink pepper and coconut, demonstrating the creativity of pastry chefs around the world in exploring new and delicious modifications.
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DID YOU KNOW?
“Tiramisù” is the fifth best-known Italian cuisine word abroad, the first for desserts. In China it is the most searched word on the web, Chinese-language sites have more than 14 million mentions of Tiramisù.
The Accademia della Crusca has certified that “Tiramisù” turns out to be a “gastronomic Italianism” in 23 different languages.
In 2015, the town of Gemona (Friuli) entered the Guinness Book of World Records for preparing the world’s largest Tiramisu: it weighed about 300 kilograms, was 2 meters wide, and required 50 pastry chefs and 150 volunteers to make it.
Tiramisù has even made it into space: in 2013 an Italian astronaut had a dehydrated version of Tiramisù included in the menu prepared for his stay in orbit.
PAROLE DIFFICILI
DOLCE AL CUCCHIAIO: preparazione dalla consistenza non solida, ma molto morbida e cremosa e che quindi va consumata usando un cucchiaio. A preparation with a consistency that is not solid, but very soft and creamy and therefore should be consumed using a spoon.
Il tiramisù è un dolce al cucchiaio.
Tiramisù is a spoon dessert.
MONTARE I TUORLI: mescolare energicamente i tuorli per incorporare aria e ottenere consistenza cremosa e spumosa. Whip the yolks vigorously to incorporate air and achieve a creamy, frothy consistency.
Montare i tuorli con lo zucchero per ottenere un composto chiaro e cremoso.
Whip the yolks with the sugar to obtain a light, creamy mixture.
INZUPPARE: intingere completamente in un liquido. To completely dip in liquid.
Preparare una quantità di caffè sufficiente per inzuppare tutti i savoiardi.
Prepare enough coffee to completely dip in it all the savoiardi.
IMBEVERE: impregnare di un liquido. To soak with a liquid.
Per la preparazione del tiramisù, i savoiardi devono essere imbevuti di caffè.
For the preparation of tiramisu, the savoiardi must be soaked in coffee.
E ORA TOCCA A VOI
A. Completare la lista degli ingredienti del Tiramisù con “ci vuole” o “ci vogliono” (Complete the list of Tiramisu ingredients with “ci vuole” or “ci vogliono”):
Per fare il tiramisù, ___________400 grammi di mascarpone, ___________ 4 uova, ____________ 300 grammi di zucchero, ____________ 2 scatole grandi di savoiardi, ___________ molto caffè, ___________un po’ di liquore e per finire ______________ un po’ di cacao.
B. Sostituire i verbi coniugati nella ricetta del Tiramisù con il SI IMPERSONALE (Replace the conjugated verbs in the Tiramisu recipe with SI IMPERSONALE):
1. Sbattiamo i tuorli d’uovo con lo zucchero.
2. Uniamo il mascarpone per formare la crema.
3. Inzuppiamo i biscotti nel caffè e li sistemiamo in una zuppiera.
4. Alterniamo uno strato di biscotti e uno di crema.
5. Spargiamo cacao amaro sul dolce.
6. Lo mettiamo nel frigo per almeno due ore.
7. Lo serviamo freddo.
