29. Tiramisu is one of Italy's most famous desserts. What kind of cheese is used to give it its signature creamy texture?
From Quiz Dolcezza - Sweet Treats from Italy
Answer:
Mascarpone
Savoiardi (ladyfingers), coffee, eggs, sugar and mascarpone are the principal ingredients in a traditional tiramisu and then alterations can be made according to preference. Alcohol in the form of masala wine, amaretto or a coffee liqueur is a popular touch. Cocoa is generally used to sprinkle on the top.
There are, of course, different opinions as to the origins of tiramisu, or 'pick me up'. Recipes do not appear in cookbooks prior to the 1960s. Treviso restaurant "Le Beccherie" is reputed to be where the dessert first appeared in 1969. The creators may have been Alba di Pillo, the wife of the restaurateur, in conjunction with pastry chef Roberto Linguanotto. Other sources state it may have been Carminantonio Iannaccone, a local baker who claims to have supplied "Le Beccherie" restaurant with the first tiramisu.
A semi frozen dessert called "Tiremesu" can be traced to 1938 in the "Vetturino" restaurant in Pieris, but the layers of modern tiramisu have more in common with Zuppa Inglese, an Italian trifle-like dessert made from sponge cake and custard.
A request to give tiramisu protected status certification has been put forward, so that the dish remains as traditional as possible and that desserts containing non common ingredients, such as strawberries or lemon, are not referred to by the name.
Red Crew's smpdit remembers her first taste of tiramisu in a restaurant in Woolwich, England in the 1980s. It wasn't long before a return visit was suggested.