Tiramisu: Classic Italian Coffee Dessert Meaning & Recipe

Meaning 1：layered coffee dessert (Tiramisu)

Tiramisu 🔊

/ˌtɪrəˈmiːsuː/

A popular Italian dessert made of layers of coffee-soaked biscuits (like ladyfingers) and a creamy mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar, topped with cocoa powder.

Tiramisu slice with creamy layers and cocoa dusting

layered coffee dessert 🔊

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/ˈleɪərd ˈkɒfi dɪˈzɜːrt/

A classic Italian dessert consisting of alternating layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a rich, creamy mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar, dusted with cocoa powder.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Italian 'tira' (pull) + 'mi' (me) + 'su' (up), literally 'pick me up'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'Tira mi su' - lift me up! This dessert energizes you with coffee and cocoa.

📖 Example

After our delicious pasta, we shared a tiramisu for dessert, and it was the perfect sweet ending to the meal. 🔊 After our delicious pasta, we shared a tiramisu for dessert, and it was the perfect sweet ending to the meal.

🔗 Collocations

homemade tiramisu – a tiramisu prepared at home, often with fresh ingredients

classic tiramisu recipe – the traditional set of instructions for making tiramisu

tiramisu flavor – the taste profile of coffee, cocoa, and mascarpone cheese

🔄 Synonyms

coffee-flavored dessert (n.) – a dessert characterized by the taste of coffee

Italian dessert (n.) – a sweet dish originating from Italy

layered custard dessert (n.) – a dessert with distinct alternating layers of cream and cake or biscuits

🚫 Antonyms

savory dish (n.) – a main course or side dish that is not sweet

main course (n.) – the primary, often unsweetened, part of a meal

🌱 Derivatives

tiramisu-style (adj.) – resembling or made in the manner of tiramisu

📖 Cultural Story

Originated in Treviso, Italy, in the 1960s. The name 'tira mi su' means 'pick me up' in Italian, referring to the energizing effects of coffee and cocoa.