Gelatissimo is taking on one of Italy’s most contested desserts with a limited-edition Tiramisu Slice, landing in all stores nationwide from May 8. Tiramisu has been argued over for more than 50 years, with two Italian regions, two government rulings and a dessert so fiercely contested it needed a notary to settle it. In 2010, the original recipe was formally notarised in Treviso and lodged with Italy’s Academy of Cuisine. The debate escalated in 2017 when Friuli Venezia Giulia secured official recognition of tiramisu as a Traditional Agri-Food Product (P.A.T.), before Veneto followed in 2024 with Treviso-style tiramisu added to the same list, giving the dessert dual recognition across two regions. At the heart of both traditional recipes is the same core lineup: savoiardi biscuits, mascarpone, coffee and a cream made from egg yolks and sugar in a zabaglione style. Gelatissimo’s Tiramisu Slice works from all of them. This is not some predictable tiramisu-flavoured gelato mission. The slice is a proper layered dessert featuring light Italian mascarpone gelato, Forno Bonomi savoiardi soaked in freshly brewed coffee and a dusting of cocoa powder, served with a chocolate-dipped savoiardi biscuit, traditional zabaglione, whipped cream and a crispy round wafer. All the distinct layers are visible, just as they would be in a traditional tiramisu. The Forno Bonomi savoiardi are recognised by the Federation of Italian Chefs and have been made in Verona since 1939, the same ladyfinger biscuits Italian chefs have specified for generations. Australia is home to one of the largest Italian-born populations in the world, with more than one million Australians claiming Italian ancestry, making tiramisu a dessert with real cultural weight locally. The slice also lands just ahead of Mother’s Day on May 10, which feels fitting given tiramisu’s own origin story. Folklore has it that the original was inspired by the zabaglione and coffee breakfast that Alba Campeol’s mother-in-law made for her each morning to recover after childbirth. Anna Temellini, Innovation Lead at Gelatissimo, said: “Tiramisu literally means ‘pick me up’ and that’s exactly what we set out to create. Every year our team travels to Italy for inspiration. This year it was all about tiramisu and experiencing the most authentic versions we could find to understand what makes a true one: the ingredients, the layers, the craft. “As an Italian, these traditions aren’t just recipes, they’re part of your heritage, your identity. At Gelatissimo, we wanted to bring something that honours both without cutting corners on either. This isn’t a tiramisu-flavoured gelato. It’s a dessert that brings two iconic Italian treats together the right way.” Gelatissimo’s Tiramisu Slice is available from May 8 in all stores nationwide, priced at $13.50. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.