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Italian cuisine

Tiramisu

Coffee-soaked savoiardi biscuits layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa.

With care: in a safer version

Tiramisu — dish photo
Tiramisu — Italian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • savoiardi biscuits
  • coffee
  • mascarpone
  • eggs
  • sugar
  • cocoa

How it is prepared

Traditional recipe: raw eggs are whipped with sugar and mascarpone; the dessert is chilled, not baked.

Food safety with low immunity

  • The traditional recipe may use raw or lightly cooked egg. Use pasteurised eggs or heat the sauce until it steams.
  • Use only pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and cheese.

How to prepare it during treatment

Traditional tiramisu uses raw egg. Safer: pasteurised eggs or an egg-free recipe, with pasteurised mascarpone. In restaurants, ask how it is made.

Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →

Storage

Keep desserts containing milk or eggs in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days.

Reheating

Eaten cold; warm desserts should be reheated thoroughly, once.

Symptoms it may suit

  • Weight loss. Energy-dense and easy to enrich (oil, cheese, yoghurt) — can help with weight loss.

These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.

Treatment phases

  • Before treatmentmay suit
  • During a coursemay suit
  • Low counts (neutropenia)Only in the safer version and if your team agreesmay suit
  • Between coursesmay suit
  • After treatmentmay suit

Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.

If you have other conditions

  • Diabetes, Obesity. A sweet dish. With diabetes or weight concerns, discuss portion size with your team.
  • Heart disease, Obesity, Liver disease, Stomach and gut. Can be fatty. With heart, liver or digestive disease, or excess weight, discuss fat content and portions with your team.
  • Stomach and gut. Contains dairy. With lactose intolerance or bowel problems, discuss suitability with your team.

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Energy353 kcal
Protein5.7 g
Fat23.9 g
Carbohydrate29.4 g
Fibre0.6 g
Sodium173 mg

Figures are for a comparable item in the USDA FoodData Central database: “Tiramisu”. Home recipes vary — treat this as a rough guide, not an exact calculation. USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 2705702

More from this cuisine

Italy: food database → · Country page →

Related topics

Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
  2. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
  3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
  5. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
  7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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