Tiramisu in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Quick answer
Tiramisù is layers of coffee-soaked sponge fingers and a whipped mascarpone-egg cream, dusted with cocoa. The name means 'pick me up', for the coffee and the sugar. It is a modern dish, invented in the Veneto in the 1960s or 70s, and it is the default Italian dessert in Britain; the good version is light and boozy, the bad one is a sweet cream trifle.
Calories and nutrition
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Salt
- 0.2 g
340–520 kcal
Portion: One portion, about 150 g.
Mascarpone makes it rich; portions in restaurants are often large enough to share.
Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.
What tiramisù is
Savoiardi (sponge fingers) are dipped briefly in strong espresso, often with a splash of marsala or coffee liqueur, and layered with a cream of mascarpone folded into whipped egg yolks and sugar, sometimes with beaten egg white for lightness. The top is dusted with unsweetened cocoa. It is set in the fridge for a few hours so the biscuits soften. Done well it is light and airy, the coffee and cocoa balancing the sweetness of the cream; done badly it is a dense, over-sweet slab. There is no cream (the dairy kind) in a traditional tiramisù, only mascarpone and egg.
How to judge it
It should taste clearly of coffee and cocoa, not just of sweet cream, and the texture should be soft and mousse-like, not stiff. Homemade in the restaurant is far better than bought-in; ask. A good one often carries a little alcohol. The cocoa on top should be bitter, which is the counterpoint to the sweet cream.
Variations to know
Some kitchens make it without alcohol for a family or lunch version. Fruit tiramisù (strawberry, lemon) exists but is a departure. The classic coffee-and-cocoa version is the one to judge a restaurant by. It is served cut from a tray or built in a glass.
Where it is done well in the UK
Any Italian restaurant that makes its desserts in house should do a good tiramisù; the independents in our directory are the place to look. The list below shows areas with the most Italian restaurants.
How to order it
Ask whether the tiramisù is made in house; the homemade version is far better. It should taste of coffee and bitter cocoa, not just sweet cream. A little marsala or liqueur is traditional. It is rich; one between two after a big meal is enough.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most tiramisu specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve tiramisu near you.
Make it at home
Serves 6 · 30 min
Ingredients
- 3 eggs, separated
- 75 g caster sugar
- 250 g mascarpone
- 200 ml strong espresso, cooled
- 2 tbsp marsala or coffee liqueur, optional
- about 200 g savoiardi (sponge fingers)
- unsweetened cocoa powder
Method
- Whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale and thick, then beat in the mascarpone until smooth.
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the mascarpone for lightness.
- Mix the espresso with the marsala. Dip each sponge finger briefly (do not soak) and lay a layer in a dish.
- Spread over half the cream, then another layer of dipped biscuits, then the rest of the cream.
- Chill for at least four hours. Dust thickly with cocoa just before serving.
Dip the biscuits briefly or they turn to mush. Raw egg is traditional; use very fresh eggs, or a pasteurised-egg method if serving the vulnerable.