Savoiardi Made in Italy: the egg cookies symbol of Tiramisu

The excellence of the Savoiardo: the only pillar of Tiramisu

The industrial production of savoiardi in Italy is mainly concentrated in  Piedmont e Lombardy, Sardinia and Sicily, with historic companies maintaining semi-artisanal processes. The Italian savoiardi sector is characterized by the presence of specialized industries with a strong international vocation such as the Verona-based Forno Bonomi group, which closed 2024 with a turnover of about 80 million euros and exports of 60-70% to European and North American markets, where the spread of tiramisu supports a stable demand for cookies specifically formulated for their use in pastry.

I artisanal savoiardi stand out for aromatic profiles that also vary according to regional traditions, sometimes with a more delicate texture and greater crumblyness. Some traditional pastry shops continue to produce them fresh, using methods handed down through generations.

History of an icon: from the House of Savoy to global success

The origin of the savoiardi is linked to the House of Savoy, an ancient transalpine dynasty. According to some historical reconstructions, around the  15th century the court chef Amedeo VI of Savoy created these spongy biscuits on the occasion of a visit by the King of France, achieving immediate success among the European nobility. The dessert was named ‘Savoy biscuit’ and quickly became a symbol of refinement in Italian and European courts.

The original recipe was based on the technique of  Genoise sponge cake, which provided for the separate beating of egg yolks and whites to obtain a particularly airy structure. This process, innovative for the time, allowed the creation of a product that maintained its shape and consistency even after soaking in liquids, a characteristic that ensured its success.

Its spread in the Italian cultural fabric grew in the following centuries, with  local variants and uses linked to coffee and dessert traditions. In Sicily, for example, the artisanal recipe took names such as  raffiolini o pistoccus and was incorporated into family cuisines. In Piedmont and Lombardy, savoiardi became a fundamental ingredient in traditional desserts such as the  Charlotte and, more recently, of the Tiramisu Veneto-Friulian.

Italian regulation: why not all cookies are Savoiardi

In Italy, the denomination ‘savoiardo’ is protected by the ministerial decree of July 22, 2005, as amended by the subsequent DM of May 16, 2017, which regulates the production and sale of certain bakery sweet products. Article 4 of the decree defines the savoiardo as:

• ‘the egg pastry biscuit having

• shape a characteristic stick shape with

• structure characterized by a fine and regular alveolation and with

• surface upper surface covered with sugar and

• aroma typical of vanilla and lemon’, with

• ‘moisture between 4% and 12%’.

The savoiardo dough contains the following

• mandatory ingredients:
  ‘a) sugars;
  b) wheat flour;
  c) whole category ‘A’ hen eggs in a quantity not less than 26%';

• optional ingredients:
  ‘a) starch, starches;
  b) lactose, milk proteins;
  c) leavening agents;
  d) vanilla flavors, vanillin;
  e) lemon flavor, lemon essential oil;
  f) salt, including iodized salt’ (DM 22.7.05, article 4);

It is also ‘producer's faculty to add to the ladyfinger fillings, coatings, glazings, decorations, as well as other distinctive ingredients except for cereal flours for amaretti and soft amaretti. The finished product thus contains at least 60% of the base dough’ as described above, ‘calculated on the weight of the finished product’ (Ministerial Decree 22.7.05, article 7).

the manufacturing process of ladyfingers is divided into the following stages:

‘a) mixing eggs with sugar until obtaining a foamy and light mass;

b) incorporation of the other ingredients into the dough;

c) pouring the dough onto a honeycombed tray in sticks shape, which are sprinkled with sugar before baking;

d) baking’ (Ministerial Decree 22.7.05, Annex II, point 4).

Nutritional analysis: the role of eggs and phosphorus in CREA data

According to the data from  Food Composition Tables of CREA (Food and Nutrition Research Center), 100 g of ladyfingers provide on average:

• : 395 kcal: 395 kcal

• : 11.9 g (of high biological value): 11.9 g (high biological value)

• : 9.2 g: 9.2 g

• carbohydrates available: 69.6 g

• sugars soluble: 39.3 g

• : 1.6 g.: 1.6 g.

Among the micronutrients provided by the egg, the presence of phosphorus (180 mg/100 g, equal to 25,7% with respect to the Nutrient Reference Value set in Annex XIII to EU regulation no. 1169/11, 700 mg).

A single ladyfinger (about 10 g) provides approximately  , 40 kcal, a relatively moderate value compared to other biscuits.

Uses: tiramisu and beyond

The most famous use of ladyfingers is in  Tiramisu, the spoon dessert symbol of modern Italian confectionery creativity, whose paternity is disputed between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. In this great classic, the biscuits are quickly dipped in  espresso coffee – sometimes with a splash of Marsala or other liqueur – and alternated with a cream of mascarpone, eggs, and sugar before being dusted with bitter cocoa.

The traditional tiramisù recipe uses the ability of ladyfingers to absorb the coffee while maintaining structure: the dipping must be quick (1-2 seconds per side) to prevent the biscuits from dissolving but sufficient to flavor them. The honeycombed structure of ladyfingers retains liquids, distributing them evenly, ensuring the perfect balance between creamy and firm.

Other sweet and gastronomic uses

Beyond tiramisu – referencing the recipe proposed by 'Il Cucchiaio d’Argento' – savoiardi can be used in multiple ways:

• English trifle, where they form alternating layers with custard, alchermes, and chocolate;

• Charlotte and trifle, as a structuring layer for layered desserts with fruit and creams;

• Spoon desserts such as bavarois, where the biscuits define the perimeter of the mold

• Topping  Chopped crunchy for ice creams, semifreddos or plated desserts;

• Breakfast or snack, soaked in milk or caffè latte, tea or cappuccino.

In the  modern cuisine the use of savoiardi in creative reinterpretations is common: cheesecake with a base of crumbled savoiardi, layered mousses, or 'gluten-free' variants made with alternative flours to suit different dietary needs. Contemporary chefs also use savoiardi in savory preparations, as an accompaniment for foie gras or pâté.

Conclusions

The link between savoiardi and tiramisu is a virtuous example of how the Italian regulation (Ministerial Decree July 22, 2005) can protect the tradition and quality of products that characterize the culture and food production Made in Italy. Thanks go to the late friend Giuseppe De Giovanni, official of the Ministry of Productive Activities who drafted the regulation, and to AIDI (Italian Confectionery Industry Association, now UnionFood) which promoted it to protect savoiardo and amaretto, as well as baked confectionery products for holidays (panettone, pandoro, colomba).

Claiming the exclusive use of true savoiardo – rich in eggs and free of added fats – is a choice of excellence, respect for Italian pastry art and transparency towards the consumer. Enhancing this authentic biscuit Made in Italy means defending the integrity of Italian pastry and offering a product with ingredients of superior quality compared to its foreign imitations.

Dario Dongo

Bibliography

• CREA – Research Center for Food and Nutrition. (2019).  Table of food composition. Savoiardi, industrial. CREA, Rome. https://www.alimentinutrizione.it/tabelle-nutrizionali/215000

• GDO News. (2024, April 3). Forno Bonomi, world leader of savoiardi, celebrates the Italian tiramisu biscuits. https://www.gdonews.it/2024/04/03/forno-bonomi-leader-mondiale-dei-savoiardi-celebra-i-biscotti-italiani-del-tiramisu/

• Il Cucchiaio d’Argento. (n.d.).  Classic tiramisu. https://www.cucchiaio.it/ricetta/ricetta-tiramisu/

• Ministry of Productive Activities. (2005).  Ministerial Decree July 22, 2005: Regulation on the production and sale of certain baked sweet products. Text amended by subsequent Ministerial Decree May 16, 2017. https://www.fippa.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DM-22-luglio-2005-aggiornato-al-19-06-2017-prodotti-da-forno-panettone-colomba.pdf

• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. Consolidated text: 01/04/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/2025-04-01