Tiramisù
Creamy, rich, and layered. Bittersweet from coffee and cocoa, with a velvety texture from the mascarpone. The ladyfingers soak up the coffee and provide a soft, cake-like structure.
Ingredients:
- Mascarpone cheese
- Eggs (or just yolks)
- Sugar
- Coffee (strong, usually espresso)
- Ladyfingers (savoiardi)
- Cocoa powder
- Optional: Marsala wine, rum, or other liqueur
Panna Cotta (“cooked cream”)
Silky, smooth, and delicate. Not too sweet. A subtle vanilla flavor is most common, with toppings adding brightness or richness.
Ingredients:
- Heavy cream
- Sugar
- Gelatin
- Vanilla (bean or extract)
- Optional toppings: berries, caramel, coulis, chocolate
3. Gelato
Intensely flavored, denser and smoother than ice cream. Made with less air (overrun) and often with more milk than cream, giving it a richer taste with less fat.
Ingredients:
- Milk
- Sugar
- Various flavorings (e.g. chocolate, pistachio, fruit,
hazelnut)
- Sometimes cream and egg yolks (especially in custard-based gelato)
Summary
| Dessert | Key Ingredients | Texture/Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| Tiramisù | Mascarpone, eggs, sugar, coffee, ladyfingers, cocoa | Creamy, coffee-soaked, bittersweet |
| Panna Cotta | Cream, sugar, gelatin, vanilla | Silky, light, vanilla-scented |
| Gelato | Milk, sugar, flavorings (fruit, nut, chocolate) | Dense, smooth, intensely flavored |