The Unexpected Ingredients My Grandma Adds To Tiramisu

If there's anything an Italian knows well, it's that the country's food and culinary traditions are born in the heart of the house: the kitchen. Grandmothers, or "nonne", concoct recipes that are passed down like heirlooms from one generation to the next, guarded jealously, and used to prove that each family's way of making said dish is superior. A lot of people say they know how to make the best tiramisu, including my grandmother, who adds a sneaky ingredient that doesn't conform to tradition: brandy.

Alcohol in tiramisu is far from anathema, but convention would point to a sweet Italian dessert wine like Marsala. Brandy is considerably stronger, and my grandmother marks every holiday or special occasion by grabbing a bottle from her pantry as a boozy enhancement in what is otherwise a fairly standard take on a classic recipe.

For a three-person serving (adjust quantities as necessary), start with three egg yolks and save the whites for later. Add 3 tablespoons of white sugar and whisk vigorously until it emulsifies into a golden paste. Then add 3 tablespoons of brandy — Vecchia Romagna, an Italian brand known for its velvety mouthfeel, is especially fitting — before gently working in around 10 ounces of mascarpone (the pricey star of the show). For extra fluffiness, whisk the leftover egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and delicately incorporate them into the mix. To assemble the dessert, dip ladyfingers in hot black coffee, transfer them to a casserole dish or bowl, add a few dollops of the cream, then repeat. As a final touch, blanket the top with a generous dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Brandy's alcohol by volume (ABV) is typically around 40% to 60%, noticeably higher than the high-teens ABV of Marsala, a more common tiramisu ingredient. Nevertheless, that boozy hit — in just the right amount — makes a tiramisu truly worthy of its name. Literally translating to "pick me up," tiramisu is supposed to feel invigorating and light.

A good tiramisu is a harmonious balance of flavor and texture: creaminess from the mascarpone, spongy sweetness from the ladyfingers, and darkness from the chocolate and coffee. The trouble is, it can easily veer into sickly saccharine territory, and Marsala, a quintessential dessert wine, contributes to the sugar content. Brandy adds a kick that cuts the sweetness while infusing a fruity, smoky depth to amplify the flavors, especially the coffee. The trick is moderation. Too much will impart an overpowering heady note and turn the postprandial treat into more of an edible cocktail.

Sometimes, my grandmother goes the extra mile and swaps out ladyfingers with amaretti. These small, button-shaped Italian cookies made from almond flour, sugar, and egg whites have a nutty, somewhat bittersweet flavor that pairs beautifully with brandy. And for anyone concerned about meddling with tradition, something you should know about tiramisu is that it's a relatively recent creation that gained notoriety in the 1960s at Le Beccherie restaurant in Treviso, near Venice. Italians are well accustomed to different spins on the dessert, most notably the famous Roman pastry chain Pompi, which serves hazelnut and pistachio tiramisu, among numerous other flavors.