Roberto 'Loli' Linguanotto, an Italian pastry chef, who is also called the 'father of Tiramisu', passed away on July 28 at the age of 81, after battling an unspecified illness. He worked at Le Beccherie, a renowned restaurant in Treviso, northern Italy, which is often credited as the birthplace of Tiramisu. Luca Zaia, President of the Veneto Region, paid tribute to the late chef on his Instagram account.


He wrote, "I join in mourning for the passing of Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto, pastry chef who marked the breakthrough of the Trevigiana and Veneta pastry shop by rediscovering and relaunching Tiramisu, a traditional product today of culinary excellence recognized worldwide. The credit for the success of such a scale also goes to his pastry mastery and his willingness to make our Venetian delicacy unique and inimitable. To his family and friends, as well as those who appreciated him, my closeness and sympathy go to him."


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HOW WAS TIRAMISU INVENTED?


There are several origin stories around the dessert but the most popular one is the one that says Linguanotto had accidentally dropped mascarpone into a bowl of sugar and eggs, while he was making vanilla ice cream and found the mixture's taste pleasant.


According to the BBC, Linguanotto shared the accidental creation with Alba di Pillo, and they decided to enhance it by adding ladyfinger sponges soaked in coffee and sprinkled with cocoa, resulting in Tiramisu.


"In no time, that dessert became a staple at Le Beccherie. It was served on a round tray with ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and two layers of cream and mascarpone," journalist Gigi Padovani, who developed a close friendship with Linguanotto, wrote in his book ‘Tiramisù’ which he co-authored with is wife Clara.


RECIPE OF TIRAMISU:


Ingredients



  •  6 large eggs

  •  1 cup granulated white sugar

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ cup strong brewed coffee, espresso 


 


Mascarpone Frosting



  • 4 ½ cups full-fat mascarpone, cold

  • 2 ½ cups  powdered sugar, sifted

  •  ½ cup strong brewed coffee – espresso, chilled

  • 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold


Decoration to your preference



  • unsweetened cocoa powder

  •  whipped cream


Instructions



  1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line the bottom and the sides of three 8" (20cm) baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. Make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk eggs on medium speed just until combined. Add sugar and whisk on medium-high speed for about 10-12 minutes until white pale, foamy and tripled in size. 

  3. With a wooden spoon, fold in flour, cornstarch baking powder carefully. Don't overwork the batter, it will lose too much air. Divide in prepared baking pans and bake for 20-22 minutes. Let it cool completely, then demould.

  4. Make the mascarpone frosting: Whisk mascarpone on medium speed until creamy for about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and whisk until creamy and combine another 1-2 minutes. Add coffee and whisk until well combined and creamy for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and whisk until fully combined and creamy for another 2-3 minutes.

  5. Assemble the cake: Place the first cake layer on a cake board or cake stand. Brush with a third of the ½ cup coffee. Then spread ⅓ of the mascarpone cream with an offset spatula on top. Repeat one more time. Place the last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Level the top and sides with the offset spatula. Chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge. Dust with cocoa powder.