The ladyfingers that are best for tiramisu are authentic Italian ladyfingers called Savoiardi, which include Pavesini ladyfingers, Forno Bonomi ladyfingers and Vicenzovo by Matilde Vicenzi ladyfingers.
Pavesini ladyfingers are a much thinner and crispy cookie alternative and because they are so thin, they also virtually melt into the cream layers and yield an incredibly fluffy result.
Forno Bonomi ladyfingers are a classic Italian brand of ladyfingers that are approved by the Italian Chefs Federation.
They are firm, dry and are baked for a perfect absorbent bite and you can easily find them on Supermarket Italy.
Vicenzovo by Matilde Vicenzi lady fingers are known as the number 1 ladyfinger in Italy and feature high quality flours and eggs, which soak up liquid evenly while holding their shape beautifuly, which makes them ideal for a make ahead dessert and they can often be on Amazon as well.
Italians do not put alcohol in their tiramisu, although some Italian restaurants do use alcohol in their tiramisu.
The original and strictly authentic Italian tiramisu does not contain any alcohol.
Adding alcohol and spirits has become very popular worldwide as a modern trend when making tiramisu, but traditional purists in Italy and even the official guidelines for the Tiramisu World Cup in Veneto all exclude alcohol from the tiramisu completely.
The original tiramisu dish relies strictly on just 6 basic ingredients which include.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder.
Strong espresso coffee.
Sugar.
Egg Yolk and sometimes whipped egg whites.
Mascarpone cheese.
And Savoiardi also known as ladyfinger biscuits.
And despite the strict historical recipe for tiramisu, many people at home and contemporary restaurants across Italy do choose to add a splash of alcohol to enhance the flavor of the tiramisu.
But if alcohol is used in the tiramisu dish, it is often mixed directly into the espresso that is used for soaking the ladyfingers or whisked into the egg yolks.
The most common alcohols that are used in tiramisu are Marsala Wine, Dark Rum or Brandy and even Amaretto.
Amaretto is an almond liqueur that complements the bitter cocoa and sweet cream.
Dark Rum or Brandy is used to deepen the punchy kick of the espresso.
And Marsala wine is a Sicilian fortified wine that adds a sweet and nutty undertone and is the most widely accepted boozy addition to the tiramisu by Italians who use alcohol in their tiramisu.