Tiramisù

Tiramisù was born in 1972 in Treviso, in the kitchen of Ristorante Le Beccherie — conceived by the owner and her pastry chef after his time working in Germany. In 2010 the original recipe was registered with the Accademia Italiana della Cucina to protect its authenticity: no egg whites, no whipped cream, no liqueur. Just egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone, savoiardi and coffee, done right.

1. Brew the espresso and let it cool in a shallow bowl.
2. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and foamy.
3. Add the mascarpone all at once and whip for about 2 minutes at medium-high speed, until smooth and creamy.
4. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the cooled coffee — just enough to soak, never long enough to fall apart.
5. Arrange a layer of soaked ladyfingers in the dish, cover with a layer of mascarpone cream.
6. Repeat with a second layer of soaked ladyfingers, then finish with cream on top.
7. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.
8. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving.

Gourmet's tip: skip the cocoa powder and finish with a grating of good dark chocolate instead — bitter, if you can find it. It melts slightly into the cream and adds a depth the powder never quite gets to.