The Best Tiramisù Recipe in the World — Old World Italian (2024)

A Few Days Back in Rome

I recently spent several days back in Rome. The food was amazing as always. Colors were golden and reflected the light like they do. Sounds of i vespa zooming past and horns honking are still the music of the city. And the smell of coffee and cigarettes still linger in the air.

Rome is a truly unique place. It is by far my favorite city. Even with her mess of layered history and culture, she’s beautiful. When I lived there, I used to always say, “Rome is a beautiful chaos.” It’s so true.

Though the highlight for me while in Rome was revisiting friends. It was a busy few days of trying to visit as many people as we possibly could.

These people are the people that mean the world to us. People who we have shared life with in a season’s past. They are the people who opened their homes to us. The people who loved us.

Ziavana, a Roman Godsend

One of those dear people is Ivana. We always called her Ziavana because she became una zia (an aunt) to our children—to all of us. When I was a young mom having just moved to a new, big city in a foreign country and learning a language I didn’t yet understand, Ziavana was a Godsend!

She and her husband embraced my family as their own. From the get-go, they chose to love us. They “adopted” us and began to teach us all things Italian.

Conversations were difficult in the beginning, but thank God for language translation apps! They at least helped us a bit in those early days. It’s amazing how you can form a relationship with someone even without a shared language. I quickly saw this woman’s heart to love us and serve us.

Hospitality is a huge strength for the classic, Roman woman and Ziavana is no different. She would prepare a literal feast for Sunday lunch and it was always "the more the merrier." Who else wants to bring back Italian Sunday lunches?

She would bring me along with her to the local market to show me which vendors I should buy my meat and produce from. Her sharing tips on how to do this or that in the city became such a value for me on a practical level.

Also a big planner, she would organize weekend day trips for us to get out and see the beautiful places in Rome and the surrounding areas that only the locals know about. These day trips were so special for us. I have a feeling she knew that 8–10 hours of being forced to speak Italian (and a bit of romano dialect) was good for our language learning!

The Little Moments

Some of my best memories though, are the ones spent with shoes left by the front door and in her little cucina. Whether she was teaching me how to make fresh gnocchi or we were washing a million dirty dishes after a big meal, we were laughing and sharing hearts.

Isn’t that how it is when we really stop and think about it? It’s the little moments that really mean the most.

I cannot tell you how many amazing meals I have eaten in Ziavana’s home. Fagioli alla trippa, pomodori al riso, pasta al ragù (the queen of italian pasta), and la saltimbocca. Honestly, there are too many meals to name them all. However, there is one dessert that would finish off the three-hour-long, beautiful ceremony of food that is the Italian meal—il tiramisù. And for me, Ziavana's recipe is the best recipe in the world.

Sharing the Gold

Sharing this recipe feels like sharing gold with the world. In part, it feels that way because this recipe is a secret that I've selfishly wanted to keep all to myself. In another way, it’s because I know you want a bit of that sweet treasure too. So the truth is, I *get* to share the gold with you!

When I got to catch up with Ziavana in Rome last month, we laughed and reminisced about the good memories we’ve shared. I asked her if I could share her wonderful recipe with you.

“Ma, certo!” was her response. Here we are, sharing this golden recipe with you.

I hope you invite a friend into your own kitchen. Hope you prepare this dessert with love. In addition, I hope you show hospitality to someone who needs a pick-me-up.

Finally, I encourage you to make meaningful memories for someone in the midst of the mundane things of this life.Make a bit of Ziavana’s magic.

xx Sommer

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Separate the egg yolks and using a stand or hand mixer, whip the yolks with the sugar for about 5 minutes or until almost clear/pink.

Add the brandy and mix.

Step 2

Lightly and slowly, mix the mascarpone cheese a little at a time using the beaters.

Set aside and let rest.

Step 3

Take the egg whites in a separate bowl and mix until stiff peaks form.

* a spoon should be able to stand upright in the mixture

Step 4

Slowly add the egg whites to the mascarpone mixture and stir gently.

Step 5

Create a soaking mixture for the biscotti using 3 parts espresso (cooled), 1 part milk, and 2 tsp of sugar.

Step 6

Take the biscotti/ladyfingers and soak them in the mixture for about 3 seconds before placing them in a row in your serving bowl or individual cups.

Step 7

Place the biscotti in rows with layers of the mascarpone mixture on top. Repeat the layers until finished.

Step 8

Cover the top with the fresh whipped cream. (optional)

Lastly, using a sifting spoon, sprinkle the unsweetened cacao powder on top to create a beautiful chocolate topping.

Recipe Tips

If I'm hosting a small group, I like to use individual glasses or cups to prepare the tiramisù. It gives it a personal touch for each guest. However, when I'm serving a large crowd, I prefer to make the dessert as one large amount in a bigger serving dish or bowl. This allows me to cut the sizes according to how many people there are.