Tiramisu’ means “pick-me-up” in Italian, named for the high energy content (eggs and sugar) and the caffeine of the strong espresso coffee. There are many different stories about the origin of Tiramisu’. It is a layered cake, so some people place its origin in Tuscany, where another famous layered Italian dessert is very popular. It is called “Zuppa Inglese” (English Soup). It is neither English nor a soup. It is a simple cake of ladyfingers or a sponge cake soaked in “alkermes” liquor with alternating layers of chocolate and egg custard. Layered cakes have been around for a long time. The brilliant idea in Tiramisu’ is not in the technique of layering, but in the components. It was a great idea to combine coffee, zabaglione cream, and chocolate together. This is the true innovation of Tiramisu’.