Tiramisu is also sometimes known as a Tuscan Trifle, so a more trifle form is normal. Sometimes they are made freestanding round or occasionally freestanding square, in dish round, or in dish square depending on who makes it. The proportions of ladyfingers/spongecake, expresso, marscapone, eggs, if there is booze or not and sometimes what kind of booze, and amount of cocoa on top can vary depending on who makes it.

Okay. I've never heard "Tuscan Trifle" for sure! Olychick's pan style is what my friends call "cheater". Legit, but without the cute round ends of the ladyfingers sticking out. Still with the crossways humps. :) Freestanding round and square I've seen, but not with standing ladyfingers in a fence. One of the contestants did the fence in a trifle bowl. It was really cute and appropriate to the assignment. Just weirded me out by looking like a trifle. So my horizons are broadened. Thanks for the quick answers!

I’ve only ever seen it as Olychick decribes, unless it was made as individual servings filling a dessert glass (ie, not precisely stacked). The Italian recipe I use has you make it in a sheet pan to cut up.

Have never heard of the necessity of ladyfinger ends being front and center. Don't think that would even be possible the way I soak the ladyfingers before layering. To me, a good tiramisu is all about taste. And mine is pretty damn good! Nothing cheater about it.

I've also only had it like the picture Olychick posted. I have made it a couple of times and the recipe I used called for stacking in a glass cake pan, so no rounded ends.

It was my daughter's favorite dessert until she found she was celiac. I ought to find some gluten free ladyfinger cookies and see if I can make a passable one.

Annie

'I LOVE tiramisu! Every time I've had it in the US it has been made in a pan and cut into a square.

When at a wonderful restaurant in Siena, Italy I had tiramisu made of broken lady's fingers with all the other stuff loosely layered on top - more like a trifle - in an extra large red wine glass. It was the best I ever had.

Hm... when I googled, I saw all pictures like what I'm used to. Either the stacked version or the pan. Thanks for all the comments.

I've never seen one like above. It looks far too dry to me. I've always thought of it as something you serve with a spoon - more trifle - and not cut into squares. Nigella does a great white version with rum that my husband loves as he doesn't like coffee. She puts nasty shop bought meringues in it but just leave them out.

Mine can be cut but is very moist, as a bread and butter pudding is moist but can be cut into squares to serve.

My Italian son in law produces one which looks like Olychick’s picture. It’s made in a rectangular dish and served at the table with a big spoon. It tastes as if there is alcohol in it but there isn't.

LOL! Colleen, I've probably seen at least 100 tiramisu IRL, but bread abd butter pudding is something I've only seen on TV, maybe five times, and the only part I remember is the buttering of the bread.

The best tiramisu I have had was at (The Gun Club) Tiro A Segno of New York, Little Italy. As media call it, "The privatest club of all private clubs".

Only 100% authentic food allowed there.

dcarch

Just to add to my earlier comments: La Taverna di San Giuseppe, Sienna, Italy